


Need Never Look Back Again

by Amymone



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Romance, Awkward Sex, Fix-It of Sorts, Karate Soulmates, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Season/Series 03, Slow Burn, Tags will be updated
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:47:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 35,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28205574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amymone/pseuds/Amymone
Summary: After everything has gone to hell, Daniel tries to do what he does best and be the hero everybody needs right now and Johnny thinks that perhaps, maybe, he is more than alright.
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence, Miguel Diaz & Johnny Lawrence, Miguel Diaz/Samantha LaRusso, Robby Keene & Daniel LaRusso, Robby Keene & Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 253
Kudos: 282





	1. Prologue

**Theme Song: Don't Let Him Go by REO Speedwagon**

The sickest part of it all is that Daniel shouldn’t have been so surprised. He got involved with karate again and everything went to hell. Like every other single fucking time.

He couldn’t help himself though, could he? Despite the hurt and the humiliations and the fear, the truth is…the truth is he missed it so damn much.

It was the one thing that defined him more than anything else, even more than being a loving father and husband, and that one thing he had to give up because life got in the way and being a two-time All Valley karate champion counts for some in the real world but not as much as big his ambitions were.

But every time, every fucking time it became so twisted and vile in the end it left him with this unbearable ache in his chest. He had been doing this countless times. Fighting to prevent exactly that and he was so tired. So ready to give up.

Amanda hadn't known him then. She couldn't fathom how much violence, most of the time initiated by others, some of the time initiated by him, had been in his life. She was shocked and horrified and he couldn’t really blame her. But she also had never witnessed how he managed to rise above it all, to maintain his balance, to apply the lessons he’d been taught and to triumph in the end.

The only other people in his life who had seen all this were either worlds away or dead. Except for Johnny. Maybe that’s why they gravitated towards each other so much.

But Amanda was right. Their daughter was in the hospital. And the unspoken words had hung in the air between them. _Because your ugly fixation with a thirty-year-old karate rivalry put her there._

She’s talking to him now, after they returned home from the hospital where Sam would have to spend another night because she had cracked her rib as well.

“Are you even listening to me, Daniel?”

She's staring at him, in the middle of their living room, her hair a tangled mess from running her fingers through it so much and her eyes filled with tiny red lines. She keeps her arms crossed against her chest.

She looks just like his mother used to.

“Can you even try to explain to me how it got to this point? Children beating the shit out of each other in the school's hallways? That poor kid fighting for his life, Robby's missing-”

“It's all that psychotic man's fault, Amanda. I told you Kreese is bad news, but you didn’t listen to me! You didn’t take me seriously. As soon as he reared his ugly head, started teaching again, this happens!” He is almost shouting now. Amanda is looking at him like she can't recognize him anymore.

Daniel steps back and takes a few shallow breaths to compose himself.

“I just wanted to keep the kids away from Cobra Kai. You saw what happens when that mentality isn’t nipped in the bud.”

“No. I saw what happens when two grown men can’t let go of a stupid childhood rivalry.”

“I just have to bring that guy down Amanda and then-”

“And then what, Daniel? Everything will miraculously go back to the way it was before? Or you’ll find another enemy, another _villain_ to go after in your quest for God knows what!”

Daniel really wants to reassure her that's not the case but his mind conjures up their faces at once. All of them. Sato and Chosen. Barnes and Silver.

“And is this even what karate is supposed to be? A freaking war? An open battlefield? Is that what Mr. Miyagi taught you?” she asks and Daniel winces at the mention of his mentor's name.

“No. He taught me to strive for peace. And then he put my dislocated joints in place in order for me to keep fighting.”

She looks at him for a long moment.

“Well, I’m sorry Daniel but I won’t join your war. And sure as hell, our children won’t either.”

“I’m not asking you to join any wars, I just wanted you to be supportive.”

“How can I be supportive of something that is clearly ruining our lives!”

“It doesn't have to be this way though. Maybe we-maybe _I_ can make something good out of it.”

She puts her hands on her forehead, massaging her temples.

“I can't believe you. Even after everything we have accomplished you still can't stand it if someone has something you don't!”

Daniel narrows his eyes at her and for a moment he feels like that kid who looked at other people's lives through a kitchen door.

“It’s just, I don’t think you ever understood Amanda but I’m more than-” he stops himself before he utters the words.

But Amanda isn’t going to let it go. She moves closer to him, those captivating eyes of hers lock him in place.

“More than what, Daniel?”

He puts his hands up defensively. “Hey, it doesn’t matter, it was just a stupid thing that came to my mind-”

“More than _what_?”

Daniel sighs. “More than a car salesman.”

Amanda’s shocked expression will haunt him for days.

“I’m sorry, you know I don’t mean it like that,” Daniel says and tries to put his hand on her shoulder.

She flinches away. “I think you should leave.”

“Amanda, come on.”

“We both need to do a lot of thinking. This is still so raw. We’ll talk again. But for now-we need some time apart.”

* * *

He goes to Miyagi-Do. Because seriously where else would he go after yet again another breakdown in his life. The place is empty now, no one to tell his troubles to or teach him to trim the little trees but it still offers a small semblance of calm.

He needs to buy some furniture. A bed, a table, maybe even a couch. Who knows how long he’ll have to stay here. He pulls out an old futon bed from the closet and as he’s lying there, his mind can’t stop picturing Robby kicking Miguel off the railing. He’d watched the fight of course. They were dozens of videos, all from different angles, accumulating views quickly before they took them down. It was an accident, Daniel keeps telling himself. A nasty accident. The kind that don’t look like that at all like a punch to someone’s nose. God, where was Robby even? He has to find him. If there’s one thing that he unquestionably must do in this shitstorm of a situation is find Robby.

His sleep is filled with nightmares. He sees Robby and Miguel fighting. They are not at the school anymore but at the beach. Robby is doing the crane kick and just before his foot connects to Miguel’s face the setting changes again and Miguel is dangling at the edge of a cliff. The sheer force of the hit sends him over the edge and as he falls to his doom, he passes by little bonsai trees on his way down. Daniel runs to his side but when he reaches him, it’s not Miguel anymore. It’s Johnny. And it wasn’t Robby who pushed him but Daniel.

His vision shifts again. He’s in the balance pond but he can’t master it. Even though he’s all alone up there he stumbles, the wheel spins dangerously and Daniel is going to fall, to fall, to fall. Just as his feet slip and he’s ready to disappear into the water Amanda comes to him. She’s in one of her work outfits. She looks at him from above and there’s nothing to her but anger and rage.

“No more karate,” she says. But Daniel is already under water and doesn’t listen.

He wakes up drenched in sweat and it’s still dark outside. His phone tells him it’s only been a couple of hours but even if his short-lived sleep was plagued by such vivid dreams he feels more rested than he had in days.

He knows what he has to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. The title comes from the REO Speedwagon song (and canon LawRusso anthem) "Take it on the Run"  
> 2\. Please listen to the theme song if you haven't done it already. It's the ultimate fanon LawRusso song, the lyrics will blow your mind  
> 3\. This will be longish and more serious than the stuff I usually write (basically it's a sappy, unoriginal romance but I had to get it out of my system)


	2. Tuesday

Johnny has fucked up before in his life but this-this is rock bottom. Everything he’s ever cared about stripped away from him. And he feels so fucking helpless. What can he do? How can he possibly make everything right? Does he even want to? Right now, it seems all he’s capable of is sitting on his miserable couch drinking beer after beer, even if it's just nine in the morning, wishing he could just stay like that for the rest of his pathetic life. Maybe if he stays put, if he doesn’t move a muscle for the next couple of days, the world will forget about him. And eventually his thoughts will stop haunting him too. No mangled-up star students, no delinquent sons, no snakes worming their way to his kids’ minds.

There’s a knock at his door.

He’s not going to answer it. What’s the point of trying to shut yourself off from the rest of the world when you go around inviting people in. But whoever it is, doesn’t get deterred that easily. The knocking sound insists and after a few moments of this relentless tapping inside his brain, Johnny can’t stand it anymore.

He grumbles and tries to rise up. The alcohol in his veins is taking its toll and he stumbles a few times, having to hold onto the wall in order to keep his balance. Fuck it, he isn't nearly drunk enough for this. He takes a big swig from his bottle before turning the handle.

He opens the door just an inch and it’s Daniel LaRusso. Because _of course_ it is.

“What the hell do you want?”

LaRusso raises his hands defensively. “Just to talk to you, man.”

“Not interested,” Johnny says and tries to shut the door to LaRusso’s face but the little shit jams his foot in the crack and, god, are they really doing this again? Why when it comes to freaking LaRusso his life seems like an endless loop.

“Hey, come on man, don’t be like that. After everything that happened, we need to have some words.”

He stares at LaRusso for a moment. His hair is ruffled, there are dark crescent shapes under his eyes and he’s wearing a navy bomber jacket, for fuck's sake.

He’s a mess too, Johnny realizes. The kind of mess you get when you have a kid in the hospital, a guilty conscience and there’s something else in LaRusso’s posture that Johnny hasn’t deciphered yet.

So, he lets out a sigh - and he fucking knows he will regret this later - and steps out of his apartment.

“You got five minutes.”

LaRusso is silent for a second, like he hasn’t planned that much ahead. He probably hasn't expected Johnny to actually give in that easily. And he looks like that stupid kid again who thought wearing all your clothes in the same color was a brilliant idea.

That kid couldn't stay silent for too long.

“Listen Johnny, this whole situation is horrible-,” he says in a manner that feels rehearsed in front of a mirror or something.

Johnny narrows his eyes at him.

LaRusso probably caught up on how stupid he sounds cause he pauses for a moment, biting the inside of his bottom lip. And then he sighs and starts over. “Have you heard from Robby?”

Johnny shakes his head. “ _Now_ you care about Robby all of a sudden?”

“Hey. I had that kid under my roof for months. I fucked up, I admit it, but of course I care about him!”

“You fuck up and the kid tries to murder someone.”

LaRusso takes a step forward. “Come on Johnny, you know that was an accident.”

“An accident, huh? The same way my elbow to your knee was an accident?”

LaRusso’s eyes darken and he takes a deep breath, Johnny's implications, no doubt, cut him like a knife.

“Johnny, I’m warning you-” he says, his fists start clenching at his sides and Johnny thinks he should drop it.

Instead he moves closer too, just an inch. “Is that what you’ve been teaching him all this time, LaRusso?”

He sees the punch coming at him like it’s in slow motion but he’s too drunk and too sad to try and block it. It connects to his jaw with such a force that he stumbles and falls to the ground.

So much for LaRusso’s _I’m not gonna strike first_ bullshit.

“Goddammit,” LaRusso groans, instantly cooling off after punching Johnny’s lights out. “I didn’t mean to do that, I’m sorry,” he says and reaches out to help him up. “It’s just-you make me so angry, man, comparing me to Kreese like that-”

Johnny lunges at him. He grabs him from his waist, his head connecting to his stomach and crashes them to the nearby wall. LaRusso lets out a yelp and then he shoves him away and they glare at each other for a second before colliding again.

It’s not even intricate karate moves, anymore. It’s just punches and kicks and ripping at each other’s hair until someone is lying bloody on the ground. They’ve been going at it for a while too until Johnny faintly hears the sound of a siren.

* * *

LaRusso is fuming. He sits as far away from Johnny as possible, on the narrow bed in their cell and keeps throwing him dirty looks. Like Johnny’s the one to blame. Like he didn’t throw the first punch. There is a nasty bruise on his jaw and his lip is busted open. Johnny figures his own cuts and bruises mirror LaRusso’s. The little punk might even have gotten a few on him since Johnny was already pretty wasted when they started going at it.

LaRusso has probably never spent time in a cell in his life, Johnny thinks. His wife is, most likely, bailing him out right about now. Ha, getting arrested and ending up in a jail cell with LaRusso of all people is worth it just to see the look on her face.

But it’s not his wife that comes for him. It’s that moron cousin of his that almost burnt down his whole neighborhood with his biker posse.

LaRusso surges up as if he’s on fire when he sees him approaching with the duty officer in tow.

“Louie! Thank God!” LaRusso exclaims.

“Hey, cuz.”

The officer unlocks the cell door and LaRusso is out in a flash. He doesn’t leave though.

“You too,” the officer says gesturing at Johnny.

Johnny blinks. Someone came for him? How? He didn’t call anyone.

And then his mind catches on because LaRusso gestures at him.

“Come on, Johnny. Let’s get out of here.”

Johnny sees red again. “What the fuck, LaRusso? You paid for mine too?”

“Yes. It’s not a big deal. I got us arrested in the first place. Now, come on.”

“So you admit this has been your fault?

“Whatever, Johnny. Let’s just go, okay?”

“I told you before; I don’t need your fucking charity, LaRusso.”

“Come on, man. You sitting in a jail cell isn’t going to help anything.”

And he hates it so much; taking charity from LaRusso, which seems to be the case more often than not, but really what other choice does he have? So he grunts and walks out of the cell, towering over LaRusso's cousin who flinches at the sight. It's a small satisfaction in this fucked up situation.

* * *

LaRusso’s cousin drives them both back to Johnny’s place where LaRusso has left his dad car.

He barely pulls into the parking lot when Johnny is out of the car slamming the door behind him.

He fishes out his keys from his pocket and goes straight for his door, half registering the exchange between the LaRussos.

“Thanks Louie. I really appreciate it. And please, I’m begging you-”

“Yeah, yeah not a word to Amanda. Hey, Daniel about what we talked-”

“Now it’s not the time, but we’ll have a real talk at some point, I promise you.”

Johnny barely listens to the rest of their conversation. He’s already outside his door fumbling with the lock. He just wants to go back to his plan of drinking his life away before stupid LaRusso interferes. Again.

He has almost made it inside until he feels a hand on his arm. Fuck. He glances down at LaRusso's hand and then his gaze travels back up to his pleading expression. There's no way around this, is there?

“Hey, please Johnny just hear me out, man. I didn’t come here to fight you. Really.” He says matter-of-factly after getting them arrested for kicking the crap out of each other in the middle of the morning like teenagers. But all the energy for fighting has been drained out of him so he just nods at LaRusso to continue, his hand still on Johnny's arm keeping him in place.

And he goes back to the whole speech mode thing but Johnny will put up with anything at this point if it means it will finally, _finally_ get LaRusso off his back.

LaRusso takes a deep breath like the little drama queen he is. “The whole reason these kids got into trouble was because of us. We can’t let them suffer because of our issues. The only way to end this is by working together.”

Well, that was a nice speech thinks Johnny and never before in their shared history has he wanted to beat the shit out of him so badly.

“So? What do you say?”


	3. Tuesday

The rest of his day, Johnny tries really hard not to let his mind dwell on stupid LaRusso’s stupid offer. Work together? To do what? Kick Kreese in the balls? Besides is he seriously considering trusting LaRusso for fuck’s sake? After having spent another morning fighting? Trusting the man who shook his hand as a peace offering and then kicked down the door of his apartment barging in?

_Well, he was worried sick about his only daughter._

Still. LaRusso could have just listened to him. Maybe none of this would have happened if LaRusso hadn’t reacted so harshly. Maybe Robby wouldn’t have been so frustrated taking it all out on Miguel.

Ugh. He wants to keep blaming LaRusso for this so badly but the truth is the man, insufferable as he might be, is right. They are _both_ to blame for this whole mess. And he hates to admit it but after their fight, after having spent time together in a cell, he doesn’t feel like drowning his sorrows away in alcohol anymore. If freaking LaRusso can get up after everything that happened and waltz around like he owns the place with his stupid hair and his stupid bomber jacket then maybe Johnny can too.

He should probably try and look for another job. Cobra Kai won’t be paying his bills anymore (and it’s not that he actually paid them, most of them were just piling up on his desk) plus he needs something to keep him occupied, otherwise his thoughts would get the better of him again. Maybe he could visit Miguel at the hospital when Carmen is not around. And Robby. Fuck, he has to find Robby.

He doesn’t have a phone anymore cause he threw the Ericsson in the sand. Another one of his incredibly smart ideas. So, he goes through his old stuff, hidden at the back of his closet and finds his discarded flip phone. Thing is a piece of shit but it works. It even has some battery left, doesn’t need to charge it. He puts on his old SIM card (they gave him a new, mini one that was compatible with smartphones or something) and switches it on.

He slumps on the couch and goes through his contacts list. He presses the call button when he finds Robby’s name. Of course, all his calls go through voicemail. He resists the urge to throw _this_ phone against the wall too. Okay, he has to think, think, think. Shannon is in rehab and they were evicted a while back so there’s no point trying their old apartment.

LaRusso wouldn’t know anything about Robby or he would have told him, right? God, he hopes he’s right. He even asked Johnny about him.

There’s only one other thing left to do, he thinks, as he pushes himself of the couch for the second time this morning.

He steps out to his building’s parking lot and winces at the sight of his car. The fucking paintjob is glaring back at him every time he needs to use his car. It’s okay, thinks Johnny. Just the fueled anger he needs to get shit done. Apparently, that’s what motivates him these days. He gets in and drives to the nearest police station to the school. If Robby was indeed running from the cops after the fight, he couldn’t have made it that far away. This is the second police station he's visited in just this morning. That’s what his life has come to, lately.

There is a middle-aged lady at the front desk and Johnny goes directly to her. “Hey, I need some information.”

She throws him a glance and Johnny imagines how he must look like now, all bruised up and hangover.

“Did they bring a kid named Robby Keene here?”

“We can’t disclose that kind of information.”

“Yes, but you see, I’m his father.” She throws him another condescending look and asks for some id.

She types quickly into the computer in front of her and when she’s apparently done, she gives him back his id and picks up the phone.

“Mr. Trotter could you come down here for a moment? Thank you.”

As soon as she hangs up, she nods at Johnny. “Wait here.”

He does as he’s told and after a moment a man in a black suit approaches him.

“Hello, I’m Tom Trotter,” he says and shakes his hand.

“John Lawrence.”

“I was the legal advisor at your son’s initial hearing.”

Johnny nods not really understanding any of this.

“Where’s my son?”

“He’s being detained in the Sylmar juvenile detention center.”

And even though Johnny has been kind of anticipating this, he still feels all the air bursting out of his lungs.

“I’m sorry,” the man offers. “The decision was based primarily on the fact that his victim’s” and Johnny winces cause at the end of the day that’s what Miguel is. Just a victim of his son.

“-life is still under threat,” the man continues. “And also, he _did_ try to run. A court date will be set and he will have to appear in front of a judge. You should know that he hasn’t been charged as an adult. That’s great news actually, you should feel relieved.”

His only son is in jail, any chances he had at a good life ruined, he'll probably end up worse than he has and that says something. But yeah, no, he should feel relieved.

“Can I-can I see him?”

“Of course. Visiting hours are listed on the website,” the man explains and, fuck, it’s going to be a struggle even trying to figure out when he can visit his son in prison.

“What else can I do?” Johnny asks.

“Well, if you have a good lawyer now would be the best time to call them.”

He can’t even begin to describe how badly he needs a drink after leaving the police station. But he has to keep moving through his list. There is a landscaping company laying tiles on his way to Reseda and he talks to the contractor who assures Johnny he’ll call him when they need extra hands. Maybe he should just call Mike. Beg him to give him his old job back.

Fuck, he _desperately_ needs a drink.

But he doesn’t drive back home yet. He goes to the hospital because what the hell, he’s having such a _fun-tastic_ day, what better way to lift his spirits even higher than watching the kid he swore to protect, to always be by his side, fighting for his life in a hospital room.

The first thing he does when he reaches Miguel’s floor is to search frantically for Carmen. Last thing he wants to do is upset that poor woman even more. But thankfully there are no visitors at this hour.

He leans his head against Miguel’s door, the hard wood cold against his forehead. “I thought I was doing the right thing. But I failed you.” He whispers against the narrow glass opening of the door.

But Miguel can't hear him. He is just lying there, eyes closed, all kinds of weird medical equipment attached to his body.

And Johnny thinks what if-oh god, what if it’s not enough to save him.

And he knows its so fucking inappropriate but he also thinks what that would mean for Robby.

_I'll lose them both_

It's too much. Everything is too goddamn much-

He hears a small sound behind him and Johnny realizes he’s been caught. He turns around slowly but it’s not Carmen but Miguel’s yaya who has always been by his side. Now even she can’t stand the sight of him.

He wipes his eyes with the palm of his hand. “I’m sorry,” he says “I-I shouldn’t be here. I’ll leave.”

She shakes her head and says something in Spanish far gentler than he deserves. He moves to get past her but she catches his arms and pulls him down to her hug. He hesitates for a second before wrapping his arms around her small frame and starts weeping on her shoulder.

He’s a wreck after his visit to Miguel. The cool Californian evening has fallen all around him, hazy pastel colors gracing the dark sky.

He still refuses to go home, though. Isn’t it funny? Just this morning he wanted to rot away inside his miserable apartment, not being able to handle all the horrible shit in his life and now he can’t _handle_ going back there and do nothing.

He mind conjures a fleeting image of LaRusso’s shoulders lifting up slightly as he asked Johnny to work together but he shakes his head furiously, dismissing it.

He picks up a bottle of cheap whiskey and drives to Cobra Kai. He parks far enough from the dojo but he knows this stupid car of his isn’t exactly subtle.

The lights are on and he can barely make out a bunch of figures moving around behind the stained glass. Kreese is probably grinding them, slipping comfortably into his old routine of humiliation and pain in order to mold perfect little soldiers.

God, how could he have been so embarrassingly stupid? Kreese played him like a chump. And he allowed himself to be manipulated again, hell even that stunt he pulled at the homeless shelter was probably fake too. Getting Johnny’s sympathy so he would sneak his way back into Cobra Kai. The most disturbing thing is how much he wanted it. Kreese’s acceptance and praise like that stupid, scared kid he used to be. Fuck, you think you are over something and it comes back to punch you in the gut.

And as always, he didn’t listen to anybody. Everyone that tried to warn him, Bobby and Jimmy and, oh god, Tommy. Tommy just stood there, not really saying anything while the other guys were riling him and just asked Johnny if he trusted Kreese. And Johnny replied to his friends, to his _dying_ friend that Kreese was a different man.

Why couldn’t he have _listened_ better to Tommy.

He takes a big swig from his bottle. Maybe he should just get drunk out of his mind and drive off into traffic. With his luck only his car would get smashed and end up being towed away. To LaRusso Auto, of course.

He winces at the thought of him. It’s infuriating how Johnny, deep down, has known that LaRusso would be right about everything. That little twerp seems to do no wrong. Always the successful. Always the fucking winner. And now he wants to work together with him. But his mind doesn’t listen to him anymore and wanders into paths of his memory that he should have left untrodden a long time ago. Instead, he has them memorized.

Kreese’s arm around his neck, his second-place trophy smashed into the ground, Bobby and Tommy getting to his aid, that weird, small sensei of LaRusso and LaRusso himself, bruised and battered and _still_ limping his way to him to do what? He couldn’t actually fight. Not in the state they had put him in.

And it’s not just that. Godfuckingdammit, it’s not just that. It’s LaRusso calling back at him, after yet another one of Johnny’s intimidation tactics that just wouldn’t work on LaRusso cause not matter how scared shitless he’d look he would always strike back at Johnny, and having the audacity to ask Kreese’s star student-

_You ever think he might be wrong? Your teacher?_

And that stupid question, that insignificant inquiry put the first sliver of doubt in Johnny’s mind.

His students, no, not his, they are Kreese’s now, start exiting the dojo, done with today’s lessons. And even from his distance Johnny can see the cuts and the bruises. Shit, Kreese’s doing to them what he did to him and his friends all those years ago. But why should Johnny care, they have made a choice. Like he did and paid the price again and again. He should just let them figure it out for themselves.

No. _No_ , he shouldn’t do that.

Fuck this. This is too much. He can’t-

He can’t do this alone.

He reaches down to the front pocket of his jeans. His hand stays there for a while, not moving and then he dives into his pocket and pulls out the card that LaRusso gave to him after his insane proposition and has stayed buried inside the front pocket of his jeans because maybe, _maybe_ Johnny's felt a little better knowing it is there.

He lifts it up and looks at it for a moment. LaRusso's smiling face, the gold letters, the private number that wasn't on the card the guy of the towing company gave him.

Like there it is, the solution to all his problems.

He picks up his phone, types the number in and brings it to his ear.

“Hey, it’s me” he says into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I know nothing about the American criminal system, I did some research but this is probably filled with inaccuracies and I apologize.  
> 2\. So Robby's uniform says SJDC and I have no idea what the S stands for!  
> 3\. It’s not going to be this angsty all the time, I promise!


	4. Tuesday

The rest of Daniel’s day gets by in a blur. Sam is being released later from the hospital and he and Amanda agreed to meet there and take her home.

When he arrives at the hospital, Amanda takes a long look at his bruises but doesn’t say anything, she just shakes her head in a way that translates into Daniel’s mind like ‘thank god I kicked you out Daniel, you pathetic mess of a being, you.’ And what can he say to her, really. He proved her point, he proved all of her points in less than twenty four hours.

Sam is concerned but Daniel laughs it off in that manner he’s really good at and they leave it at that.

They take the day off from the dealership and drive Sam home, trying to recreate their domestic bliss but the ride there ends up feeling uncomfortable and awkward.

She still doesn’t know that Daniel left the house. Even Anthony isn’t sure what’s happening anymore, he just keeps giving them scrutinizing looks and then buries his head into his video-games again trying his best to show indifference. They will have to tell them later. Explain the situation to them preferably before Daniel is with one foot out the door. Amanda hasn’t invited him to stay the night and Daniel isn’t going to ask himself.

It’s so weird. Needing an invitation to stay at his home. They spent seventeen years in this place and raised two beautiful children here. It’s still his home. It has to be.

Sam is wandering around their house, trying to get reacquinted with everything. She hadn't spent many days in the hospital but to Daniel she looks like she came out a different girl. His eyes follow her and everytime he looks at her cuts and bruises and god the nasty scars on her arm, Daniel thinks of his own mother. This is how she felt all those years ago? No parent should ever have to feel this way.

They have the most awkward dinner in their family history. Amanda keeps throwing him looks urging him to start the conversation.

Daniel takes a deep breath as if to brace himself. “There’s something we need to tell you, guys.”

Sam’s eyes shot up from her plate, her eyebrows are slightly raised. She looks so worn out and devastated at everything and Daniel hates it that they’ll give her another reason for heartache.

But it has to be done.

“Your mom and I decided to take some time apart.” They both stare at him. Even Anthony stops throwing glances to the counter where Amanda makes him put his videogame until they have finished their dinner.

“So, I will be staying at Miyagi-Do until we figure some things out.”

Nobody says anything for a while. Amanda looks back and forth between Sam and Anthony, waiting for a response.

“Are you guys getting a divorce?” Sam asks after a long moment. Amanda raises a hand. “Nobody is getting a divorce, Sam. Your father and I just need to think some things through. And it’s hard to do that when we are around each other all the time.”

Again silence fills the room until Anthony blurts out. “Are you going to buy me more stuff out of guilt?”

“What?” Daniel and Amanda exclaim together.

“Jimmy’s parents got divorced and his dad started buying him more stuff. Jimmy said it was out of guilt.”

Sam rolls her eyes at her brother. “Oh my God, Anthony!”

Daniel rubs the bridge of his nose and sighs.

“No, Anthony. Even if we do get divorced-” he glances towards Amanda who is very still “-which we won’t, our relationship with you is not going to change. We are just not going to be married to each other anymore.”

Amanda throws him a satisfied look and Daniel actually feels proud of himself.

“Still could use more stuff, though.” Anthony says.

* * *

“That went well.” After dinner they retreated to their bedroom to talk some more about this new situation and the best way to handle it for their children’s sake. Daniel looks around the room and almost can’t believe that he won’t be sleeping in his bed later tonight.

Amanda rolls her eyes. “There was no way that it would have gone well, Daniel. But they have to come to terms with it.”

“I know, I know. It’s just-Sam has so much on her plate right now.”

“Yes, but pretending everything is okay between us is going to put another load on her shoulders and not actually comfort her.”

“You are right, Amanda. It’s just she’s-”

“She’s your little girl.” She cuts him off. “But she’s not so little anymore, Daniel. That is something you need to come to terms with.”

She sounds so calm and logical and collected and Daniel can’t help but wonder how the hell did she put up with his bullshit all these years.

“Mom? Dad?”

They both turn around to look at their daughter.

“Yes, sweetheart?” Daniel says.

“I want to talk to you guys about something.”

Amanda pats the bed beside her and Sam goes to her. Amanda immediately wraps her arm around her shoulders. Daniel looks at them, perpetually marveling at their resemblance, and no matter what anyone says they are always going to be his girls.

“I keep thinking about Miguel. His yaya said they can’t afford the medical bills.”

Daniel looks at Amanda and she nods at him, that's all the confirmation he needs.

“LaRusso Auto will make a generous donation, honey.”

Sam looks up to her mom to check if she's indeed on board with this and Daniel laughs to himself. They sure know who's the boss around here.

Amanda nods. “Of course.”

“And I thought of something else. Look.” Sam continues and pulls out her phone. She shows them a website.

“What is this?” Daniel asks.

“A GoFundMe page. So, people can donate.”

“Woah, that’s really clever, Sam. You made it yourself?”

She nods. “Thank you, dad. I was wondering if you could mention it in own of your ads.”

Daniel again looks to Amanda for confirmation. “No budget cuts, I’ll just record it on my phone or something.”

“No, it’s okay. This is worth it. We will figure something out tomorrow.”

“Thanks, mom.” Sam says and her eyes begin to water.

“Hey, hey come here.”

“I don’t know what I’ll do if Miguel dies, mom. I-I love him.” She says between sobs and buries her head in her embrace. Amanda looks at Daniel and her eyes are wet too.

* * *

He goes to the dojo. Seeing Sam like that broke his heart. And scattered all around the vast space are Robby’s few belongings. And god it’s so hard not to blame him. So hard to let his frustration wash over him and not pool inside his gut. This morning he set out with a mission but now everything seems so hopeless. He feels like he did on the balance wheel in his dream. All alone and slipping.

There on the stand are his two trophies. One of them looks a little rough handled. He tried to piece it back together after Johnny shoved him against the stand and the thing broke but he doesn’t think he did such a good job. He picks it up and looks at it.

_Under 18 All Valley Karate Champion 1984_

The connection doesn’t immediately click and there’s no mind-blowing, light-bulb over his head moment. It’s just a small, probably trivial realization that for some reason puts a lump in his throat. Two trophies were given out that year at the tournament. Both of them ended up, one way or another, shattered.

It’s funny how it all comes back to him. Signing autographs at the parking lot, Kreese’s bloody knuckles, Mr. Miyagi’s honking joke, the Cobras lying on the ground after getting assaulted by their sensei. But all that wasn’t what had plagued his mind the following weeks. It was Johnny Lawrence, his trophy broken in half by his own sensei seconds before he twisted his arm around Johnny’s throat, staring hard at Kreese and finally admitting what Daniel had known all along.

_You know, you’re really sick, man._

And that small remark, that insignificant statement had put the first sliver of doubt in Daniel’s mind.

Later he finds Amanda again. She’s stretched on the big couch, her head resting against it, her eyes closed. She’s probably tired and waits for her estranged husband to leave in order to step into a hot bath and release some of the tension of the last few days.

The truth is that Daniel doesn’t want to leave. This is his home, has been for decades.

Mr. Miyagi’s place was also home, for a very distinct period of time in his life but it hasn’t felt like that for ages. Now it’s just another place full of bad memories and Daniel isn’t sure he is capable of making new, good ones.

He clears his throat and Amanda opens her eyes. “It’s getting late, I should go.”

Amanda nods. “Goodnight, Daniel.”

He doesn’t leave for a while though. He just sits in his car looking at his home from the outside. Like a stranger.

His phone rings, he looks down at it and his mouth curls up in a small smile.


	5. Wednesday

The next day, Daniel goes back to the dealership. He hasn’t been there since the fight. Everyone is pretty understanding and nice, asking him about Sam and how her recovering is going. He’s so grateful nobody mentions Robby. And he’s so fucking grateful nobody mentions his bruises. He may or may have not asked Amanda for some foundation in order to attempt to cover them up. And everywhere he looks it’s just smiles and sympathetic nods and awkward pats on his shoulders. He’s still their boss after all. But it’s when he doesn’t look that the real story lies.

Nobody can understand this whole karate drama. Amanda couldn’t and he’s been sleeping in a freaking futon bed at his dead teacher’s place the last couple of days.

The worst thing is the clouded accusations. He isn’t sure if maybe he’s just seeing things because of his guilty conscience but it seems to him that most of his employees treat him like they know he’s the one to blame for everything.

It’s really hard to concentrate on the inventory statements. He isn’t working the floor today, that would have been too awkward, Amanda stuck him on paperwork duty which means he can hide in his office and look at numbers all day long without having to hear another well-intentioned comment about the school fight.

He doesn’t know if he should be offended or feel grateful out of his mind.

He has to accept that’s how it is going to be for a while. The fight was all over the news. Until the next martial arts high school brawl happens people are going to talk about it and pile even more regrets into Daniel's guilt ridden mind.

Speaking of school, they have to meet with the principal about Sam’s disciplinary penalty. All of the kids involved in the fight have been suspended for five days but there isn’t an official decision yet. He doesn’t even want to think that she might get expelled. It was that horrible girl who instigated everything, cut Sam open and now their daughter has to pay the price? As if she hasn’t suffered enough.

Of course, when it comes to school there is a whole other can of worms that Daniel has to fight his way out of. Amanda told him that they were even considering hiring private security. There are going to be school committee hearings, PTA meetings and another round of people silently asking him 'how could you fuck this up so badly, man?' Christ, he even tried to recruit some of his friends' kids that day at the beach. Well, most of them ended up in Cobra Kai anyway so maybe he should be the one throwing accusatory glances.

No. He is not doing that, anymore. Blaming Cobra Kai for everything. Not Johnny's Cobra Kai at least.

Johnny. He's meeting him later in the evening. He still can’t believe the man actually called him. Honestly his pitch sounded pretty hopeless, even _before_ punching him in the face and ending up in jail.

He can’t help a small smile from appearing on his face. When it comes to Johnny freaking Lawrence his life looks so ridiculous. It’s like a bad karate soap opera. No wonder people look weirded out and disgusted by it.

Still, Johnny calling him and agreeing to work together (well he didn’t actually agree to anything they just arranged to meet and discuss things face to face) made Daniel feel a little better.

Like he’s not alone in this.

He can't be alone in this.

And he was, he was so alone after-after Mr. Miyagi died. His life is always full of people but there is a particular little spot that feels empty and Daniel doesn't know who or what can fill it up again.

* * *

He stops by the hospital on his way back to his place. Sam is desperate for some news of Miguel, always hanging by her phone for the tiniest bit of information. And maybe, he wants to have something to tell Johnny too. He looked so devastated back in that elevator. He should have said something to him right then and there but everything was so raw. He was still so angry and hurt and frustrated. And maybe it's better than he didn't say anything. Probably they would have ended up beating each other up again.

Daniel also hopes to bump into Miguel’s mother (Carmen, if he remembers correctly) and discuss with her everything. LaRusso Auto group’s donation, Sam’s GoFundMe page. Hoping that Carmen would talk to him.

She seemed to be furious at Johnny. Maybe she’s mad at him too.

And who would blame her, really? At the end of the day, Johnny was right. It was Daniel’s student who did that to her son. It was Daniel himself who pushed that kid away so many times just because sometimes he couldn’t help it. He looked at Robby and all he could see was his father. He looked at him and all he could see was images of broken things and the taste of sand. Of wet grass and wiry fences.

But he’s going to fix all that. He’ll, he’s got to. He will succeed, he can do this. Right?

* * *

Carmen’s eyes are not full of hate, thank god, but she looks so despondent and heartbroken that Daniel wishes she could turn that despair into anger and direct it at him. It is preferable than seeing any mother in this state. He can’t help but thinking Sam’s own stay at the hospital or that time when Anthony had to have his appendix removed. Situations upsetting but not life threatening.

He can’t fathom how having a kid in the hospital who might never wake up, feels like.

They watch together as the nurses on duty treat Miguel and at some point, Carmen tells him that he hadn’t seen her son so happy as when he was with Sam. She is even grateful when he tells her about the financial help.

Daniel also does something that hadn’t occurred to him until then. He begs her not to press any additional charges against Robby. When she nods and tells him that she only cares about Miguel getting better, Daniel hugs her, his eyes all wet.

He can see why Johnny likes her.

* * *

He meets Johnny at that sleazy bar in Reseda where they once shared a couple of drinks. God, that looks so far away right now. This time they grab a booth at the back where they can talk privately. They both order beers, Daniel isn’t in the mood for anything even remotely fancier.

“So, I went by the hospital.”

Johnny’s face perks up for a hopeless moment and Daniel wishes it could stay like that.

“There’s no change, Johnny. I’m sorry.”

Johnny shakes his head and takes a swig.

“Yeah, figures. I dropped by myself yesterday.”

Daniel's eyebrows shot up but he doesn't comment on that. Instead he tries to reassure Johnny a little. “But hey, it’s been more than forty-eight hours. I guess he’s stable now and that's probably a good thing.”

“Yeah, I hope you're right,” Johnny says and there’s so much sadness in his features, it’s unsettling.

“Carmen was there,” Daniel continues gesturing to the waitress for more beers since Johnny downed his. “We talked. She said that she won’t be pressing any charges against Robby.”

Johnny looks at him for a moment with a mixture of surprise and something else that Daniel can’t make out yet. All things considered he _does_ looks better. He still hasn’t shaved that subtle of his, but his bruises are fading and he probably showered and put on some clean clothes. It’s a weird thing to think about when they are sitting there trying to make sense of all this mess.

“Why would she do that?” Johnny asks after a while. “She hates my guts. I was supposed to protect her kid. And my own son almost killed him.”

Daniel shrugs. “I guess, she’s sick of the fighting too.”

Johnny nods and runs a hand through his hair.

“So, what’s your masterplan, LaRusso?” he asks after a moment.

“Well, the way I see it there are three open fronts,” Daniel says and immediately winces at his choice of words. Damn, Amanda was right. He let Kreese drag him into a bloody battlefield. Into whatever humid jungle he left his soul in.

“As far as Miguel is concerned there isn’t much we can do. But here, let me show you something.” Daniel says and pulls out his phone. He types in the address and tilts the screen towards Johnny to see the page.

He immediately senses that Johnny doesn’t understand what the hell he is showing him.

“It is a website where people can make donations,” he explains. “Sam made a campaign for Miguel’s medical expenses. And look how much money they raised already.”

“Your daughter did this?”

“Yes. She really cares about him. I don’t think she ever got over him.”

Johnny thinks about that for a moment. 

“Hey, was she and Robby actually dating?”

Daniel grimaces. “Ugh. I don’t really know, man.”

“They’d been living under your roof, haven’t you noticed anything?”

“I mean, I guess I realized something was up but I didn’t want to interfere again in my daughter’s romantic life.”

And that's not something they should mull over right now. But at the mention of Robby Daniel feels a pang in his chest.

“What _about_ Robby? Have you heard of him?” Daniel asks for the second time in two days.

Johnny hesitates. Like he doesn’t want to say it out loud and validate what happened to him.

“Yeah. They took him down to Sylmar juvenile hall,” he finally answers.

It feels like a punch to his gut. Daniel suspected it of course. That’s why he had the whole LaRusso Auto legal team on an informal Zoom meeting the night before. Some of them had experience in criminal justice and he needed all the help he could get.

“How did you find out about it?”

“Went down to the police station near the school yesterday. There was this man there who apparently was the legal something in Robby’s initial hearing and he told me.”

Daniel pictures for a moment Johnny walking all alone into a police station in search of news for his missing son. For some reason he thinks he should have gone with him.

“What else did he tell you?”

“That I should get a damn good lawyer, one I don’t afford anyway.”

“Listen, the thing is I’ve already talked to _my_ lawyers and one of them could definitely take this case,” Daniel pauses for a moment reminding himself not to repeat the same mistakes. “If it's okay with you too.”

Johnny arches an eyebrow. “You paid my bail money and now you will pay for Robby’s lawyer too?”

Daniel shrugs. “The kid was my responsibility too.”

Johnny thinks about it for a moment. Daniel knows he's struggling with the charity thing but this is not the case at all.

“I’ll pay you back, man. Even talk to Shannon about it when she’s out of rehab. Doubt she has any savings but it's worth a shot.”

“It’s okay, Johnny. I told you we have to fix our mess. And our first priority is Robby now. Tell you what. I think we should all meet together. And then go visit him. So the lawyer could explain things to Robby firsthand.”

Johnny nods. “Yeah, that's a good idea.”

“Let’s see,” Daniel says and pulls out his phone again. He goes to the website and searches for the visiting hours.

“It says here, we can visit on weekends. Let’s go this Saturday.”

Again, Johnny is giving him that weird look like he is amazed by something. His internet skills most likely.

“Great, yeah, let’s do that.”

They fall into silence for a while after that. The whole situation should have felt weirder, Daniel thinks. Them in a bar drinking together and making plans to help the kids. Especially after having spent the previous morning in jail for fighting each other on the street like morons.

“I have to tell you something,” Johnny says and pulls him out of his reverie.

Daniel decides to spare him.

“If this is about Kreese stealing Cobra Kai from under your feet, I already know.”

Johnny’s eyebrows shot up. “How?”

“Aisha told Sam.”

Johnny groans. “Are you actually going to say it?”

Daniel smiles sadly. “No, Johnny I am not going to say anything except that we need to take him down.”

“And how do you propose to do that?”

“I don’t know yet,” Daniel says and Johnny rolls his eyes.

“We’ll find a way.”

But before Daniel starts squeezing his mind for ideas he examines Johnny's face closely, his eyes traveling all over it.

“Are you really with me on this, Johnny? Ready to kick that motherfucker out of your life and make sure he stays out?”

Johnny stares right back at him.

“Yes,” he says. “That man is really sick.”

It’s all the confirmation Daniel needs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. This chapter is for [BackinBlack_80](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BackinBlack_80/pseuds/BackinBlack_80) who has written one of the most compelling LawRusso stories I've ever read and definitely reading again at some point,  
> ['The Power of Love'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27160694/chapters/66332213) . Also BackinBlack_80 pointed out to me that SJDC is probably Sylmar Juvenile Detention Centre so I changed that. Again thanks for the tip!  
> 2\. I have a thing for stepdad Daniel


	6. Saturday

LaRusso is picking him up at eight am on Saturday morning. Johnny is functioning with six beers in his system from the night before and two hours of sleep. He tried really hard to ease his mind and drift off but as soon as he closed his eyes a thought, no it was more like a conviction, kept coming back at him and made his eyes burst open.

What if Robby wouldn’t want to see them.

So, he spent the night fussing on his cheap sheets and at some point, around five am his body was so exhausted that his mind shut off by itself. He was awake again by seven am. LaRusso called him five times, waking him up, and chewed his ear off in case he wasn’t ready by the time he dropped by.

He is now digging through his closet, trying to find something decent to wear. What is even the proper dress-code when visiting one’s son in jail? Should he wear his cheap-ass suit or something? Him and the guys had been up in Lompoc a couple of times to see Dutch but he was in his regular clothes. Jeans and lumberjacks’ shirts.

But this is different.

This is his only kid.

In the end, he settles for an old, black dress shirt and matching black jeans. He also shaves.

When he’s done, he has some time to kill so he contemplates getting a beer but he shakes the idea off. He just plops on the couch and rests his head against the back.

Fuck, he feels so tired.

That guy from the landscaping company, Roy, actually called him twice the last couple of days, so he spent ten hours a day remodeling snobby houses in Encino. He didn’t mind though. He’s good at that kind of thing. Simple hard labor. It kept his mind off of things. He tried stopping by the hospital again but each time he spotted Carmen’s car in the parking lot and didn’t go in.

LaRusso rolls by at exactly 8:02 and when he gets out of his car and his eyes land on Johnny, he makes a weird expression. Like he’s surprised Johnny cleaned up for this. LaRusso’s wearing grey chino pants, a light blue bottom down shirt and a dark blue jacket. Trust LaRusso to pull off even the weirdest combination of clothes. Wasn’t he strutting around in camo pants back in the day? And don’t get him started on that prom suit of his. Johnny remembers immediately thinking of LaRusso when he watched this movie about the two dumbest assholes in the universe and one of them was sporting the exact same suit at some point. He would have teased the shit out of LaRusso about that if they were speaking back then.

…Okay. Okay that was an insanely amount of time that he spent musing on LaRusso’s clothes.

Maybe his mind needs to make fun of LaRusso because right now Johnny feels extremely under-dressed. And maybe that’s what went through LaRusso mind just now.

But LaRusso doesn’t say anything, he just comes up at him and shoves a brown paper bag at Johnny’s hands. “Here. I got you breakfast.”

Johnny peeks inside and it’s a melted cheese bagel.

“And a double espresso cause I knew you’d need it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

LaRusso immediately puts his hands up in a placating gesture. “Nothing, man. Relax.”

Johnny eyes him for a moment and then brings the cup to his lips. It’s really good actually. Exactly what he needed.

“We’ve got to get going,” LaRusso announces. “You can eat in the car, just don’t make a mess, please.” He says like Johnny is some kind of slob. He resists the urge to spill the hot coffee all over LaRusso’s real leather car seats.

It’s a fifteen-minute ride to LaRusso’s lawyer's office and its mostly silent. The lawyer will run a few things by them there first and then they will all go to the detention center.

Johnny shoves the last bite of the bagel into his mouth, actually trying not to spill crumbs in LaRusso’s fancy car. He notices LaRusso giving him a sideways glance.

“This is really good shit, man. Thanks.” He mumbles with his mouth full and LaRusso cringes. Johnny swallows and laughs at that, Daniel fucking LaRusso being all prissy about good manners and Johnny remembers his sorry ass lying on the floor covered in spaghetti.

“What’s so funny?”

Johnny shakes his head. There’s no point starting another fight now. “Nothing, man,” he replies and then adds as if the thought just crossed his mind. “This whole situation. Us visiting my son in jail. Together. It’s absurd if you think about it.”

LaRusso keeps his eyes on the road but there’s a small smile on the side of his face.

And there it is. That conviction again.

“We haven't thought this through.”

“What do you mean?”

“What if he doesn’t want to see us?”

Daniel's smile drops and looks at him briefly. “I-I haven’t even thought of that.”

“Yeah. Cause you’ve just seen this ‘balance is my thing’ side of his. But you don’t know how he was before. The kid has a mean streak in him.”

LaRusso scoffs. “Don’t talk about your son like that.”

“And don’t you ever talk like he’s _your_ son, again.”

LaRusso’s grip on the wheel tightens and he makes a face like he’s trying really hard not to say anything. Look at him, all of a sudden trying his best to be civil with him of all people.

“Listen, whatever happens we’ll deal with it,” he says after a while. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”

For some reason the conviction in Johnny's mind recedes a little.

* * *

This guy's office is the typical big shot lawyer office. Walls lined up with law books and a little statue of justice, blindfolded and with a scale in one hand. He looks pretty typical too, in his grey suit, white shirt and black tie. His face is full of little wrinkles, his hair grey and neatly combed.

“Daniel please come in,” he says standing up from his chair.

“How are you doing, James? Thank you so much for doing this on a Saturday,” LaRusso says shaking his hand.

“Don’t you worry about it. For me the weekends are just two more available days to catch up on work.”

He extends a hand towards Johnny. “James Reede. Nice to meet you.”

“John Lawrence,” he says thinking suddenly of all the law people he met in the last days.

As soon as they are all seated, Reede cuts to the chase.

“Your son’s case is definitely a unique one, Mr. Lawrence. We certainly can use that to our advantage. First of all, your son didn’t instigate the fight, that is obvious in the footage and in fact we could claim that he was trying to get past Mr. Diaz-,” Johnny winces again.

“- In order to help his girlfriend who was under attack herself. Everybody was fighting! I haven’t seen anything like it. Even your daughter Mr. LaRusso at the end kicked the Nichols girl off the railing.”

LaRusso tenses at the mention of Sam but nods.

“So, we could make a case that the outcome of the fight was an accident and not intentional. The problem is, and again the fact that the whole fight was recorded works for us _and_ against us at the same time, that Mr. Keene delivered the final blow after Mr. Diaz appeared to be retreating.”

His student showed mercy. His son, Daniel's student, didn't.

“And of course, another point that we will put emphasis on is the fact that Robby didn’t resist arrest. Though he _did_ try to run.”

Reede makes a gesture with his hands. “But don't you worry about all that yet. All in all, I think we have excellent chances at achieving his immediate release,” he concludes and Johnny, though he barely understood all the legal specifics, lets out a breath he had been holding since the police station.

* * *

Everything turns to shit pretty fucking soon.

Johnny was right.

Robby won’t come to meet them.

LaRusso is in his best car salesman attitude, sweet talking the guard, hands all over the place.

“Could you please, _please_ tell him that his father _and_ his sensei are here to see him and we are just trying to help?”

“Man, this is not how it works. I’m not your freaking messenger.”

“I know that. Of course. And I’m so grateful for your help but it’s imperative that we meet him today. His lawyer is here with us and he needs to go over his case with him. You tell him that too.”

The guard gives them a death glare but then shrugs.

“Whatever. I'm not trying to convince him or anything. I'm just going to tell him what you said,” he says and leaves.

Johnny comes by his side.

“So, you’re his sensei now?”

“Shut up, Johnny.”

The next five minutes are pure, unadulterated agony.

They sit at the round table, LaRusso is next to him, tapping his foot on the ground and biting every corner of his mouth, inside and outside. He’s going to draw blood soon, Johnny thinks.

And then LaRusso suddenly stops all movement and nudges Johnny with his arm. They both stand up as they see the guard approach. Someone is walking behind him but the guard is a broad motherfucker and they can’t really make out who until the last minute.

And then. There he is. Robby. His son. In all his delinquent glory, with a brand-new haircut, in the center’s grey uniform and everything.

Johnny lets out a sob and feels LaRusso’s hand on his shoulder. He wipes his hand over his eyes and when Robby is in front of him, he hesitates for a moment but then wraps his arms around him. Robby doesn’t hug him back, he knew that, and Johnny keeps it awfully brief but he had to do that.

He just had to.

They all sit down again. Robby across the table from them.

LaRusso clears his throat. “So, how you’ve been Robby?”

Robby snorts. “Are you seriously asking me that? In here?” He gestures all around them.

“Why are you even here?” Robby continues “You made it clear that I don't mean anything to you. To _both_ of you.” 

Johnny cringes and feels his eyes well up again. What can he answer to that?

But, of course LaRusso has all the answers in his little pocket.

“Listen Robby. That is not true. Not even by a long-shot. We understand that you are extremely mad at us now and you have every right to be. And if you don’t want to speak to me ever again after this I’ll understand. But Johnny is your father and your legal guardian as long as your mom is-” he pauses for a second “-unavailable.”

“And you may not want to do anything with us but throwing your own life away is not up for debate, you understand me?”

Johnny finally snaps. “Hey, what the hell LaRusso!”

LaRusso lifts a hand right in front of his face. “Just wait a minute Johnny,” and the force of it causes Johnny to pause for a moment.

"So, Mr. Reede here, who is a lawyer with experience in cases such as yours will attend to your defense and you will cooperate so you are out of here as soon as possible because even if we treated you like the biggest assholes in the universe there is no way in hell we are going to watch you rot in here. Okay, Robby?”

Oh, LaRusso’s done it now. Johnny is going to strangle him when they are out of here. Pulling that shit again! Talking down to Robby like that in the middle of fucking juvie. Like he’s his goddamn father! Kid’s probably going to freak out and never want to see them again in his life-

“Okay, Mr. LaRusso.”

Wait. _What_?

Johnny is still silently fuming. How the fuck does LaRusso does it? Does he have magic powers or something? Yeah, that’s probably it. Those stupid, huge eyes of his have some kind of spellcasting thing.

But he looks at Robby and he seems calmer now, more collected. Fuck, maybe even his voice is bewitching.

Still, he should say something. That's his kid, for fuck's sake.

“Robby, I know we fucked up a lot. But please trust us on this. Our top priority is getting you out of here.”

Robby just stares at his eyes. "Sure, dad." He says after a while and oh god his voice is not dripping in sarcasm as usual.

And just like that Johnny’s not that mad at LaRusso anymore.

It was relatively nice after that. Robby and Reede went through some initial details, the things they had already discussed with him and when the guard came to announce Robby had to go back, they promised him to visit him again next Saturday. And Robby promised to come meet them.

Johnny shakes the lawyer’s hand again and then they are back in LaRusso’s car.

LaRusso is tense. His shoulders scrunched up, his jaw clenched. He is probably waiting for a confrontation. It’s what he most certainly deserves but Johnny won’t accommodate him this time.

“Hey, listen," he begins "I know I was overstepping again back there and you are probably furious at me-"

Johnny cuts him off. "You were. And I was. But I’m not anymore. You were just trying to help, right?" And he looks at LaRusso and can’t help it if there is a drip of sarcasm in there cause that’s his natural tone when it came to Daniel LaRusso but mostly it’s sincere.

And LaRusso gets it cause he nods slowly and doesn’t say anything.

Johnny knows he should feel so annoyed at the way this little twerp is basically running his life for him, so irritated out of his freaking mind.

But he’s not.

He’s in awe actually. Ugh, trust LaRusso of all people to turn him into a pussy.

Still, he isn’t nearly drunk enough for this.

“I need a fucking drink, take us to that bar again.”

He expects a mini LaRusso tantrum, (it’s the middle of the afternoon, Johnny don’t be such a whitetrash!) but for once he doesn’t say anything and just starts the car.

* * *

They are well into their third round when LaRusso spills the beans.

"Me and Amanda. We-we are taking a break."

Johnny snorts. "She kicked your sorry ass out?"

"Fuck off, Johnny."

"No, no, I’m sorry, man. Really."

"Yeah, well, it was a long time coming. We weren’t satisfied anymore. And then this whole mess happened and it was the final straw, I guess."

Johnny watches him for a second as he downs yet another martini, his Adam's apple moving up and down.

So LaRusso is probably getting divorced. Johnny knew about shit like that firsthand. That’s how it starts, with stupid 'breaks' and taking some time apart and next thing you know you are both fucking other people.

His mind short-circuits for a second there when he realizes that he finds this whole concept-

Interesting.

He shakes his head when LaRusso isn’t looking. Petty asshole he is, he’s probably glad LaRusso is getting dumped by his super-hot wife. She was way out of his league in the first place.

That’s definitely what this thing is. Right?

LaRusso's stupid phone rings and ruins a perfectly good moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I'm just too damn lazy to come up with original names. All the last names of the law people in this fic come from lawyers in the movies. Tom Trettor is from "My cousin Vinny" (because of course) and the character Jim Trotter III and James Reede is from "Liar Liar" and Fletcher Reede.  
> 2\. Also you could probably tell but I'm winging it with all the law and order crap. I changed the visiting hours for my convenience. Once again please bear with me!


	7. Saturday

When LaRusso picks up his phone all color drains from his face.

“What? Oh my God! No don’t go by yourself, I’m coming over, we’ll go together. Yeah, I’ll be there in ten minutes. Love you, honey.”

He puts his phone down on the counter and for a second he just stares at it and Johnny he swears to god is going to slug him if he doesn’t stop being dramatic right about-

“Miguel is awake.”

The air bursts out of Johnny’s lungs.

LaRusso is already standing up, fishing a couple of bills out of his wallet and slipping into his jacket.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Johnny isn’t so sure he’s able to move actually.

“I don’t think I should come, man. Carmen will kill me.”

LaRusso looks at him and sighs. “You could wait in the car or something. Now, hurry up, Sam is waiting, we are picking her up too.”

And LaRusso has that assertiveness in his whole posture again, that was slowly diminishing the last couple of days and Johnny can’t argue with him anymore. He steps down of the bar stool and follows LaRusso out of the exit, his mind half registering that Daniel once again paid for everything.

LaRusso’s daughter is waiting for them in their driveway. She jogs towards the car immediately but then she sees Johnny in the passenger seat and stops in her tracks.

Daniel is out of the car and by her side in a second, throwing an apologetic look to Johnny who just shrugs.

“Dad!” she hisses under her breath. “Do you think is a good idea bringing _him_ there? Miguel’s mom hates him!”

“Don’t worry, honey. Johnny will wait in the car. He cares a lot about that kid, you know.”

Sam raises her eyebrows for a minute but then she nods, slipping inside the back seat of the car.

The ride to the hospital is awkward. Johnny can’t handle any small talk right now and he’s really grateful the LaRussos keep their big mouths shut for once.

But there’s a question at the back of his mind that’s been bugging him since LaRusso got the call from his daughter.

“Hey,” he says and looks back at Sam through the small mirror. “How did you know Miguel woke up? Carmen told you?”

“His yaya, actually. She called me from the hospital.”

“But. She doesn’t speak any English.”

Sam rolls her eyes. “I’ve been taking Spanish classes since the seventh grade.”

And LaRusso beams at her, proud of his little girl and Johnny feels kinda warm too.

As soon as they roll into the hospital’s parking lot, Sam is out of the car, urging her dad to hurry up.

Daniel gives him a last, long look. “I’ll be back soon, man.”

Johnny just nods and then he’s all alone in the car.

He has no idea what to do while he’s waiting. He starts to regret coming along. He could wait there for hours. But he thinks that’s his other kid in there. Awake, not gone. And even if he can’t see him, that’s all that matters.

For the second time that day his eyes fill with unshed tears.

He doesn’t have to wait long though. After just fifteen minutes he spots LaRusso coming out of the large metallic doors.

“Your daughter isn’t coming?” he asks him when he’s behind the wheel again.

“No. She and Miguel are all over each other. Miguel was so happy to see her, Johnny, god it was… I may or may not have cried a little in there.”

“Well, I may or may not have cried a little in here too.”

Daniel looks at him and he throws him the biggest smile he’s seen on him yet.

“Wish you could have been there, man.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“I can try and talk to Carmen if you want-”

Johnny shakes his head. “No,” and then adds for good measure. “Don’t interfere. Please.” LaRusso snorts.

“So? How is he?”

“Well, it’s still too early and they didn’t give me many details. His back is broken. He might need surgery and there are a dozen other variables that’s too early to even consider.”

Johnny nods at him.

“But-but he’s awake, man. He’s here. With us. It’s good.” Daniel says and Johnny finally throws him a small smile too.

* * *

“Come on, Johnny. We have enough alcohol in our systems already.”

“This is different, you dumb asshole. We are celebrating.”

LaRusso dropped him by his apartment earlier and he was ready to leave. It was getting dark and they had been together since early in the morning. But Johnny wouldn’t let him. There’s no way in hell he’s drinking alone after visiting his son in jail _and_ his surrogate son in the hospital after coming out of his coma.

He pulls his cheap-ass whiskey out of his cupboard and pours two glasses. He downs his, staring at LaRusso with a raised eyebrow because of course he was going to bait him.

Daniel rolls his eyes and downs his too.

* * *

“Yeah, yeah! I remember that guy! The one you fought before me.”

They are sitting on his dirty couch, the bottle of whiskey half-finished already. Apparently, LaRusso can hold his liquor. Not as good as Johnny who is on the functioning alcoholic poster boy list but still.

“Ha! That guy was intense! I wonder what he’s doing now, if he’s he still doing karate.”

Johnny shrugs. He has no idea and couldn’t care less.

“What was even his name?”

Well, Johnny actually knows the answer to this. “I don’t remember his last name. But he had the same first name as you.” Daniel just looks at him like it’s totally not weird to remember something like that. Not at all.

“What about your little gang of Cobras? Have you kept in touch with them?”

Johnny winces. Right. LaRusso probably has no idea.

“Yeah. I mean we are not as tight as we were but we still catch up from time to time.”

“That’s so cool, man. I never had friends like that.”

And it’s the sadness in his voice that makes Johnny want to tell him everything.

“Hey, you remember Tommy?”

“Yeah, the wise-ass.”

Johnny smiles sadly. “Yeah he was that.”

LaRusso’s eyes widen, immediately catching on and he puts his palm on top of Johnny’s hand.

“I’m so sorry, Johnny.”

Johnny shrugs. “He was sick for a while.”

“When did it happen?” LaRusso asks with genuine concern.

“Around the time Miyagi-Do was trashed.”

LaRusso frowns. “Wait, you mean to tell me that your friend was dying and I was riling you up for some toilet paper and red paint? Great, now I feel like an asshole!”

Johnny wants so badly to make a snide comment but for some reason he can’t bring himself to. “Hey, you didn’t know.”

Daniel nods and they stay silent for a second.

“It’s funny,” Johnny says as if remembering something fondly. “How he said to get _you_ a bodybag and then-then…” he can’t bring himself to continue and makes a small choking sound.

“That’s not funny, Johnny.”

“No. I guess it’s not.”

LaRusso’s hand is still on top of his and Johnny is afraid of even moving his fingers causing LaRusso to withdraw it.

“You’d really try and help me patch things up with Carmen?” he asks suddenly.

“Sure, man.”

“Why?”

LaRusso raises his shoulders. “Well, you know me. I-” and there’s a strange glint in his eyes, playful even.

Johnny’s mind clicks. “Don’t say it,” he warns in an equal teasing manner.

 _Can’t leave well enough alone_ LaRusso mouths silently and Johnny grins.

They fall into silence again, this time more comfortable.

Until LaRusso takes another trip down memory lane. “Hey in the tournament. I don’t know if you remember. But it was you who handed me my trophy and you said something to me. Something like-”

“You’re alright, LaRusso. Good match.” They say in unison.

They stare at each other. LaRusso’s eyes are wide.

“You remember that, huh?” He chuckles nervously after a moment.

“Yeah, it just came back to me,” Johnny says sure he’s not fooling anyone.

“Why did you do that though, man? To show that you’re not a sore loser? Maintain some of your pride after I beat your ass?”

Johnny shoves him, his shoulder lingering for a moment longer against Daniel’s body.

“Come on, man” LaRusso laughs “I really want to know. I kept thinking about it the following days.”

Johnny hesitates but only for a second. “No, I think and I’m not even sure cause that was 35 years ago, man. But I think that at that moment, after you refused to just stay the fuck down and got up and kicked me in the fucking face, I guess I felt at that moment that you-”

LaRusso is looking at him with the eyes of a child on Christmas morning.

“That you deserved it.”

He puts his other hand up in a mocking gesture.

“Come on let’s hear it for the creampuff.”

But LaRusso isn’t saying anything. He’s just sitting there, his eyes roaming all over Johnny’s face, his jaw, his nose, his cheeks. His mouth. Johnny can hear the sound of him breathing.

The whole thing it’s so intense it makes Johnny’s stomach coils. There is something in LaRusso’s eyes, something familiar, Johnny has seen it before many times but with LaRusso he can never be too sure of anything. And finally, he looks down at their interlinked hands.

And then he stands up like his ass is on fire and Johnny follows him immediately as if out of reflex.

“It’s so late. I gotta head back. It’s been a long-ass day.” LaRusso announces and he’s already at the door.

Johnny trails him and puts a hand against it.

“Don’t be stupid, LaRusso. You’re in no state to drive.”

“It’s okay. I’ll just uber.”

“You’ll _what_?”

LaRusso rolls his eyes. “I’ll just call a cab, man.”

And before Johnny can stop himself the words are out of his mouth.

“You can crash here,” he says and almost immediately he half registers how really simple the whole thing is. How it had been every time they circled each other’s orbit since they met again, thirty-four fucking years later. Thirty-four fucking years too late.

He doesn’t want LaRusso to leave.

Damn, he could spend hours with this man and still not be ready to leave his company. When did that happen?

“No man, there’s no need. I’ll just call for a cab.” He declares taking out his ridiculously big cellphone, thumbing over the screen in quick gestures. Johnny resists the impulse to knock it out of his hand.

“There. Should be here in about ten minutes.”

But Johnny doesn’t back away. He’s just standing there in front of LaRusso, so close he can see his chest rising up and down, his arm stretched at the door beside Daniel’s head. It’s probably a familiar position for them.

LaRusso even looks scared but not like he did back then. Not like he’s afraid of Johnny anymore, more like he’s afraid of himself.

And he’s watching him with those big, brown eyes and Johnny feels like there is something more. There’s something he’s missing, something hidden deep inside LaRusso’s dark eyes that stare up at him like a bottomless pit that Johnny has been dangling at its edge for so long.

And then LaRusso reaches out and gives him a little push.

“Jesus, come here”, he breathes and pulls the front of Johnny’s shirt, dragging him down and smashing their lips together.

There comes the pit.

For a devastating moment time freezes. Johnny stands motionless just feeling the rough edges of LaRusso’s mouth on his own, the tip of his tongue darting out at his bottom lip.

Then he opens his mouth and kisses back.

LaRusso visibly relaxes, his lips are sucking and biting every bit of Johnny’s mouth, his back against the door and his hands are on Johnny’s hips, pulling him closer to his body.

And as soon as he feels how hard Daniel is under his pants, he lets out a sobbing sound in his mouth and feels his own erection tightening against his jeans.

LaRusso is perfectly still, his back stands firm against the door but his grip on Johnny’s hips is tight and he pushes him back and forth grinding him hard against his erection. He even makes circling motions using Johnny’s body for better friction.

And Johnny’s body responds so openly to the whole thing, the manhandling and LaRusso’s tongue down his throat and their dicks rubbing against each other beneath their pants. Johnny’s mind is baffled at how much he wants this.

But it’s him and there’s always that little voice at the back of his head, that annoying impulse to ruin things, to fuck everything up, that little mental nudge disguising as common sense but is truly a severe lack of empathy.

He pulls away from Daniel and huffs breathlessly. “What are we doing?”

LaRusso’s face is flushed, his eyes half lidded and he’s panting hard. Johnny never thought he would get to see Daniel LaRusso in such a state but ain’t life just a fucking kick in the head?

LaRusso’s pocket pings. He looks down at it and takes his phone out again.

“My uber is here,” Daniel exclaims and again Johnny’s mind is too hazy for the internet lingo right now. 

“What?”

“I have to go.”

And before Johnny has the chance to say anything else, he’s out the door slamming it hard behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. So I wanted them to have a long-ass day together because that shit is basically canon and it blows my mind every single fucking time I watch it.  
> 2\. The phrase 'he could spend hours with this man and still not be ready to leave his company' is from this  
> [post](https://mochisquish.tumblr.com/post/634245591725178880/they-talked-for-7-hours-and-still-werent-ready-to) on tumblr because it has been living in my head rent-free from the moment I saw it. Thank you [mochisquish](https://mochisquish.tumblr.com/) !  
> 3\. The bodybag Easter egg is the most heartbreaking in the history of the visual mediums


	8. Sunday

Daniel is thinking it’s really hard to get through your day after you spent the previous night sucking face with your old high school karate rival. Fucking Johnny Lawrence. Waltzed back into his life and everything, literally everything fell apart around him.

It's the first time he’ll teach again at Miyagi-Do after the fight. He had texted his students and honestly, he didn’t expect anyone to respond. He was almost certain their parents would never allow them to step foot into a dojo again.

But that was the case with only one of his students. All the others agreed to meet him at Miyagi-Do at ten am. Even Demetri.

It’s also the first time that he will see them after the fight altogether. There will still be some fading bruises, minor cuts, even a black eye. But what he dreads is that he'll get to see the disappointment in their eyes as well.

And he's hangover and frustrated.

Because apparently, he has hit the final nail in this nonsensical middle life crisis he is going through and that would be dry-humping Johnny Lawrence against the door of his ugly apartment.

In less than an hour he’s supposed to be teaching his kids, probably have a big talk about the fight and he's supposed to be right there, in the middle of the little trees and the wind chimes looking at young faces, feeling grateful out of his mind he still has some students left.

Instead, all he wants to do is lie on his bed all day, thinking about last night. He’d been heavily drunk but not the kind that you don’t have control over your own actions and certainly not the kind that you can pretend you can’t remember anything the next day. He remembers Johnny’s eyes seconds before he grabbed his shirt. And his big, long hands resting on his waist after Daniel kissed him and pulled him close.

He doesn’t want to think through all the details, everything he did, because it’s still so embarrassing. He had already spent the rest of the previous night when he came back at his place pondering how Johnny responded to him before pulling away.

So, that was what it felt like? This is what _everything_ felt like? He had been waiting for so long. Daniel can’t help it. He laughs to himself.

Apparently, he had been waiting for Johnny Lawrence to find out what kissing a man felt like.

And overall, he hadn’t felt this way since-

Shit.

It’s been _decades_ since he had felt this way.

Daniel groans in frustration and checks his smartwatch. It’s almost ten. He reluctantly gets up from his bed and puts on a t-shirt and clean sweatpants. He had actually bought a new bed for this place and set it in the small room in front of the fireplace, where Mr. Miyagi used to sleep. This place is so small compared to where he was living for the last decades but he doesn’t want to start looking for an apartment yet. Him and Amanda will probably work things out and yes he's aware of how fucked up that sounds now.

From the window, he spots his students arriving all together like a flock and his heart drops just an inch. Did they feel the need to stay close together after the fight? Like a tight fist. No. Not like that. Like the tangled roots of a tree maybe.

Ugh. He's done with the karate metaphors though and steps out to greet them-

“Let’s hear it for Mr. LaRusso!”

That was probably Demetri but then everybody is cheering and clapping. Not overly enthusiastic, kind of quietly but still. It was mostly awkward than heartfelt and it was over soon.

Daniel had _not_ been expecting that.

“Guys there’s no need-”

“No, thanks to you we won,” Chris cuts him off.

Daniel blinks. “Won? Is this how you see it?”

Demetri is in front of him, all lanky posture and wild hands like when he gets trying to explain geeky stuff to him.

“Yes, we know Mr. LaRusso. It doesn’t matter if we win or lose. But the fight came to us. We were just defending ourselves, right?” his eyes circle the other kids and everybody nods. And even if Daniel doesn’t like where this is going, he can’t help but feel a swelling sensation by looking at Demetri rising up to his whole height, not afraid anymore, ready to go forward, even lead.

“And let’s face it, without your teachings we would have had our assess kicked again.”

Daniel looks all around him.

“I’m glad you feel that way but that was something that should have never happened in the first place.”

“And weren’t these guys supposed to be your friends?”

They stare at him for a few seconds, shuffling their feet and biting their mouths, not really sure if he’s actually waiting for an answer.

“Mitch was my best friend,” Chris finally replies. Demetri doesn’t say anything but Daniel knows Eli had been like a brother to him.

Daniel sighs. “We just have to make sure nothing like that happens ever again.”

They silently nod and Daniel is satisfied for now.

Until Chris speaks again.

“What about Keene?”

* * *

It was a gentle lesson. Daniel insisted on practicing their katas and their meditation techniques. They did very little to none defense techniques. It was exactly what Daniel needed and the only thing that made his chest ache was the empty spot where his daughter should have been.

And the Robby sized one.

He didn’t even answer Chris’ question. Yes, if you wanted to get technical (and a bit vindictive) Miyagi-Do had kicked Cobra Kai’s ass (seriously what the fuck is wrong with him?).

But it wasn’t worth it. Not by a long-shot.

* * *

He drops by his house later. Samantha is supposed to return to school tomorrow and they will meet with her principal probably later within the week.

She asks him about his first day teaching again and he’s not sure if he should discuss it with her.

Amanda is still adamant about it. No more karate. She has already distanced herself from Daniel, who won’t listen to her but Sam is staying away from all this madness.

“It’s okay, dad. I should probably take a break from karate, anyway. I’ll be busy with school and helping Miguel.”

“How is it going between you two?”

“Pretty good, I think. We talk a lot, try to fix things.”

Daniel nods, smiling at her.

Sam stays silent, her beautiful eyes locked on his face.

“Dad?” She asks after a while and Daniel knows what will follow.

“What about Robby?”

* * *

“So, I’m paying for Robby’s defense.” He announces and Amanda raises an eyebrow.

Daniel puts up his hands defensively. “Everything comes from my personal account, Amanda. This won’t hurt the family or the dealership.”

Amanda rolls her eyes. “It’s not that, Daniel.”

“Then what is it? He was living with us; you’ve been cooking him meals and giving him rides and defending him against the world. And now we are supposed to abandon him? Let him wither away in a prison cell?”

“No, I’m not saying that. It’s just-”

She faces away from him.

“It’s just everything is so messed up.” And then she’s is crying and Daniel rushes to her side, because she’s still his wife, the mother of his children, this amazing woman that Daniel has put through so much.

He wraps his arms around her.

She wipes her tears but they are still in each other’s arms. He could kiss her right now. He could kiss her and if she’d let him, he could take her into their bedroom and spend his night in his own bed and try to reclaim some of the normalcy in his life.

He ends up kissing the top of her head and slide away from her and out of the door.

This is the worst part he thinks as he gets into his car. That he’s getting used to it. Getting used to leaving his house, his wife and kids, in the middle of the night to return to this weird, small, place with the paper doors and the crane posters where he can lie on his new bed and think how Johnny Lawrence’s body felt against his own.


	9. Saturday 2

LaRusso had sent him a single text the previous night telling him he would pick him up at eight am as always.

That was it.

He’s staring at it right now as he’s standing in front of his closet, contemplating yet again what to wear.

LaRusso used to call him like five times a day since they started this whole karate crusade thing about the dumbest things possible. But since that night, a week ago, it had been radio silence.

Up to a point he gets it. Of all the fucked-up things happening in his life right now, that must have been the cherry on top.

He tries not to make it a big deal in his mind though. It’s not the eighties anymore. Things like that happen all the time and people are cool with it. And there are so many _new_ things now.

Miguel had tried to explain some stuff at some point but Johnny can’t wrap his head around so much information on his best of days.

Whatever. It was just a drunk hook up. Johnny’s had plenty of those. Never with a man before but he could have had. He could have had, there had been instances, nearby moments. He was just – just waiting for-

Apparently, he was waiting for Daniel fucking LaRusso.

And maybe because there’s been a while since he did this, or maybe, possibly, this thing with LaRusso had been a long time coming but god...

He probably hasn’t felt this way in years.

And he’s supposed to meet him in half an hour.

He ends up putting on the exact same clothes he wore last Saturday. He isn’t even sure he washed them but whatever. They are not going on a date, they are going to visit his son in jail.

Johnny picks up a bag of corn nuts from the store cause he has a distinct feeling that LaRusso isn’t bringing him breakfast today.

He’s right. LaRusso doesn’t bring him anything except a sewage looking juice that tastes like shit.

He’s not even looking at Johnny most of the time. From the moment Johnny got inside his car. The few times Johnny searches for his dark eyes, LaRusso glances away in a second, pretending to keep his attention on the road.

Johnny’s not even making an effort not to scatter food all over LaRusso’s car anymore.

Maybe that will get him a reaction.

LaRusso huffs side glancing at Johnny when he thinks he’s too absorbed in his snack. “Can you be careful? I don't wanna be digging them out of the upholstery for years.” And who the fuck talks like that about their fucking car?

Johnny leans a little too closely, opens his mouth and flings a corn nut in, teeth making a crunching sound.

LaRusso rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “Thanks.”

Johnny lets it go until he’s ready to strike again.

“So. That’s it? Just you scolding me about my car eating habits?

“Well. What else do you want, Johnny?”

“I don’t know. There’s nothing more? That’s what we are pretending now?”

LaRusso sighs and taps his hands against the wheel. “We are not pretending anything, Johnny. Yeah, we had a-a moment, we were both pretty drunk, there was some tension and it just happened. That’s it. Nothing more to it.”

Seriously, fuck this man. Does he wake up every morning, check his stupid hair in the mirror and goes over the lines of little speeches about screwing Johnny’s life over?

And apparently, he’s not done. “Listen we really shouldn’t be focusing on that. We got so much on our plate. Robby and Miguel. And fucking Kreese.” LaRusso pauses for a moment like he's not ready to acknowledge the next part.

“And Amanda and I. We haven’t even talked about a divorce yet, and even if we do there will be so many things to take care of like the distribution of property. I mean just the business part alone could take months. And custody settlements.” LaRusso explains and the cringe in his voice says he is trying really hard to avoid the word battles.

Well Johnny gets the picture. He’s painted it many times himself. LaRusso didn’t say it in so many words but the basic meaning was there. _There is no room in my life for you_. Not in that manner.

And Johnny’s life that is nothing _but_ vacant spaces waiting to be filled isn't too appealing. Not to someone like LaRusso, anyway.

“I’m not focusing on anything, man.” Johnny says. “Just wanted to find out what’s going on.”

“Nothing is going on. We are just visiting Robby in juvie. That’s all.”

Johnny just looks at him driving and drinks from his shit tasting juice in the middle of this shit tasting situation.

“Okay.” He says.

* * *

He can feel his hair rising at the back of his neck the minute Robby stumbles in the large room. Johnny surges to his feet with a growl and as usual LaRusso is trying to hold him back.

“They’ll kick us out, Johnny, calm the fuck down.”

But Johnny doesn’t listen to him and is in front of Robby in a second taking in the image of his son beaten up in prison.

LaRusso goes to placate the guard who was coming over quickly with an angry expression on his face.

Johnny brings two fingers on his son’s chin and lifts his face gently. The whole left side of Robby’s face is red and jagged. What the fuck did they do to him?

LaRusso is back and guides them to a nearby table.

When they’re all seated Robby shakes his head. “It looks worse than it is.”

“Who did this to you?” LaRusso asks like it matters.

“Just some random dickheads claiming their territory,” Robby shrugs and then stares at Johnny. “You know how it goes.”

And yeah, Johnny _does_ know but that doesn’t mean his son had to find out too.

Johnny can’t help it. He makes a fist and slams it on the table.

LaRusso groans, his eyes on the guard. He puts his best smile again. “Johnny, I swear to god, I’m gonna drag you outside if you don’t calm down.” he says through gritted teeth.

Johnny ignores him. “Just hang in there, Robby. We are gonna get you out of here.”

Robby snorts and Johnny doesn’t like the sound of it. “Yeah, I know. I’m your top priority and here I am still, getting my face busted in.”

LaRusso leans close to Robby across the table. “We are working on it Robby, you have to believe us. And maybe there’s still something we can do. Talk to the guards. Talk to the warden.”

Robby shakes his head. “No. That will only make things worse.”

Johnny stares at him. He looks so young. Yet he knows things no seventeen year old should ever have to learn.

“That’s not all.” Robby says after a while with that half smirk he does. “You better drag him outside already Mr. LaRusso.”

“What do you mean, Robby?” LaRusso asks.

Robby stares at LaRusso’s eyes for a second then nods to Johnny. “Your old sensei came to visit me.”

Johnny can actually sense the movement from LaRusso like he was ready to hold his arm, to grab his shoulder, to touch him in order to restrain him. Johnny doesn’t do anything though. He just narrows his eyes at his son.

“Kreese was here?”

Robby nods.

“What did he tell you?”

“Don’t know, didn’t really give a shit. Some kind of bullshit about you and this kid Vidal. And how to learn to strike first.”

LaRusso looks between them. He's going to try and work his magic again, thinks Johnny.

“Now, listen to me, Robby. You can’t go around picking fights in here.”

Robby snaps. “I’m not picking fights! They came to me!”

LaRusso is ready to say something else but apparently his magic has dried out so Johnny cuts him off.

“Then kick the shit out of them so they won’t try again.”

* * *

He’s gonna burst. Johnny can’t hold it in much longer, he’s going to explode and he only hopes nobody undeserving gets in the way of the shrapnel again.

“Johnny come on, man. You have to calm down! That’s what Kreese wants you to do, don’t you see? He’s baiting you!” LaRusso always the voice of reason, whispering in his ear.

“Yeah! And he’s using my son to do it!”

Somehow they had made it to the parking lot without Johnny driving his head onto a wall. LaRusso guides them towards the car, the keys are in his hand.

So, as soon as he spots the Audi, Johnny grabs the keys and shoves LaRusso hard into the ground.

“What the fuck Johnny!”

But Johnny is already spinning it out of the parking lot faintly hearing LaRusso’s last words.

“This guy is such a dick!”

* * *

It’s weird coming to Cobra Kai in the middle of the day and Johnny only hopes the old bastard is in there.

He barges in and kicks the door to the back office open.

Kreese is indeed inside, resting in the chair, his legs up the desk, one of those horrible cigars in his hand. He seems unfazed to see Johnny because of course he was waiting for him to confront him sooner or later.

“You. Stay the fuck away from Robby.” Johnny growls at him.

Kreese puts up his hand, mocking him.

“It’s a free country, big guy. I’m allowed to visit whoever I want.”

Johnny is looming over him, fists clenched at his sides.

“I’m going to kill you, Kreese. I’m going to kill you with my bare hands and I don’t give a shit if I spend the rest of my life behind bars."

He grabs the top of his shirt and lifts him up, bringing the old man’s face close to his own. Kreese's features are so clear to him now. Blue eyes, tight mouth and a strong jaw. They are so much alike it’s actually funny. In another world they could have really been father and son.

“Stay.away.from.my.kid.” He warns again and lets go of him, displaying the amount of mercy even Daniel would be proud of.

* * *

He’s well into his fifth Coors Banquet when there’s a knock on his door. He already knows who it is. He should be happy, though. The fact that LaRusso knocks and doesn't kick his own door down means he probably cooled off.

He gets up from the couch to answer it and immediately resumes his position. He's not in the mood even to look at LaRusso right now.

Daniel stands in front of him, his hands in his pockets. Johnny can imagine bits of shrapnel in his soft hair.

“So. What happened?”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t kill him and buried his body in your back yard if that’s what you’re asking.”

He laughs to himself before taking another swig. “Just threatened him a little. Kicked down his door.”

LaRusso snorts. “The old bastard will probably send you the bill.”

They stay silent for a moment, LaRusso still standing in front of him.

Johnny sighs. “We have to get him out of there.”

“I know Johnny. I dropped by the lawyer again. That’s why I didn’t come directly here. He believes they are looking for a scapegoat just because the fight has been so heavily publicized. But he will pressure into getting us another hearing.”

Johnny groans. “The way you describe it, it could take months LaRusso.”

“Let’s not think that way, alright?”

Johnny contemplates something for a moment. “I-I don’t think he’s fighting back.”

LaRusso nods. “Yes. I believe so too. He’s probably scared of what will happen if he lets go, maybe in his mind he’s still reliving the fight with Miguel.”

Johnny snaps. “Jesus Christ, LaRusso! I don’t need you to psychoanalyze my kid right now.”

Daniel doesn’t retort back, his mouth becomes a tight line and just nods.

Johnny's starting to actually feel a little guilty. “I’m sorry. And for leaving you there. I thought that you were gonna try to stop me.”

“It’s okay.”

“Ha. I left you alone in juvie, confiscated your car and now I’m yelling at you. How are you not punching my lights out yet, LaRusso?"

“I don’t want to fight you, Johnny. You’re upset.”

Johnny stands up slowly and approaches him.

“Explain to me why are you doing all these, LaRusso? What's in it for you?”

“I care about Robby. And I care about you.”

“Oh, right. You care about us, huh?”

“Yes, Johnny. I do.”

“Why? Why the fuck do you care? Has LaRusso Auto run out of charity events? Don’t you have your million things on your plate, anymore? You divorce and your business and your something something property?”

“Johnny. Don’t be an asshole.”

But Johnny is. He _is_ an asshole and he's devastated and so, so enraged. And if LaRusso wasn’t being such a little twerp about it, he could put his hands on him and explore his mouth with his own striving for a fragment of solace.

Instead, Johnny nods towards the door. “Go on. Just leave. Get the hell out of here.”

For once LaRusso stays silent. He just slowly shakes his head and then does exactly that, finally leaving Johnny alone to spend another night thinking about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna see my rants about karate drama you can find me on [tumblr](https://idontknowkaratebutiknowcrazy.tumblr.com/)


	10. Friday (before Saturday 2)

It had been one hell of a week for Daniel.

First, they met with Sam’s principal and they had to grovel at his feet so he wouldn’t suspend Sam for another week or two. Daniel learnt then that the girl who started it all had been expelled and for a brief moment he wondered about her. Pictured her, all furious eyes and spiked bracelets and under Kreese’s tutelage and the image made him shiver.

Then there was the whole clusterfuck that was the PTA meeting. He was wrong about that, actually. People didn’t _silently_ accuse him of anything. They blatantly screamed it to his face. He had it coming though. Trying yet again to defend karate to an audience of angry, concerned parents. Hadn’t he learnt his lesson, already? They even called him, _him_ and oh Mr. Miyagi is definitely spinning in his grave, a bully.

But that wasn’t the worst part of course. The worst part was what they said about Sam.

He had tried to talk to her about going back to school on his daily visits but she just dismissed his fears. Overall, she looked relieved, maybe even happy and Daniel knew it was because of Miguel. Daniel was so grateful about that. Carmen, probably, felt that way too. Their children had been through so much but at least they had each other.

And yes, he can’t help it, his mind wanders to another boy, all alone and probably scared like he looked that day at the beach and his chest twinges in pain again.

And now it's Friday and as he’s going over the numbers at the end of the week with Amanda, things are looking horrible for their business as well.

They are in his office, Amanda is wearing that lilac dress he got her for their last anniversary and she looks more beautiful than ever. Except for the pained expression on her face.

“Seriously, what did we expect? Our name is poison.” Amanda says and throws the file folder across his desk.

He hates the fact that he fucked up so bad and as usual Amanda is the one trying to fix his messes. She even had to put up with rehiring Louie cause Daniel owned him for coming to his aid at the police station.

They had removed all the karate taglines and they had stopped giving away bonsais, even considered chopping prices but still they were lucky if they sold two cars a week.

Daniel sighs. “We have to give it time. It will blow away, eventually.”

Amanda looks at him but she doesn’t seem convinced. Far from it. “You don’t mind we had to drop all the karate references?” she asks him after a while.

He shakes his head. “No. I think I wanted them gone for a while. People just saw them as gimmicks. I used karate to make money and it should have never been associated with that.”

“Well now it’s associated with attempted murder, Daniel!”

He winces and Amanda closes her eyes, “I’m-I’m sorry. I know what karate means to you. You don’t think I understand, but I do. At least I’m trying to. I’ve thought about a lot all this time that we are apart. I still care about you. I want you to be happy.”

Daniel reaches across his desk and gently takes her hand into his. “I care about you too, Amanda. We’ll get through this, you’ll see.”

Amanda nods sadly but doesn’t say anything.

“Listen, I had an idea.” Daniel says. “Nobody likes my face now, Amanda. I’m just that crazy guy whose student kicked another kid from a railing.”

“While you-you should be the new face of our operation.”

Amanda rolls her eyes. “We talked about this, Daniel. There’s no such option. You know that most people would rather see Freddy Krueger up on those billboards than have a woman trying to sell them cars.”

“It’s a different time, now.”

“It’s not that different.”

“If anyone can pull it off, Amanda, it’s you.” That earns him a small smile and Daniel continues.

“LaRusso Auto Group is your baby. You were always so much better at this than I ever was.”

Amanda raises her eyebrows. “At what? Being a car sales _man_?”

Daniel huffs. “How many times do I have to apologize for that?”

“Many, many times more,” she says but then she looks like she’s actually considering Daniel's idea.

“I guess, it wouldn’t hurt if I had a meeting with the marketing people. We have to develop another strategy, anyway.”

Daniel beams at her. “That’s my girl.”

Amanda rises from her chair but as she’s about to leave, she turns around and looks at him.

“Do you really think I could do it?”

That even now, after everything and even though all of this it’s his fault, she still values his opinion makes his chest swell in affection.

He gives her his best car salesman smile, because yeah, that’s what he is too. And then he answers appropriately because he is that other thing, as well.

“Amanda you will wipe the floor with them.”

Later, when he's finally home he thinks how they are supposed to visit Robby again tomorrow and he and Johnny haven't talked since the incident last Saturday. He contemplates calling him but can he really handle listening to the sound of his voice right now? After the week out of hell he had?

He picks up his phone and ends up sending him a single text.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I know in the show Sam suffers from PTSD and I respect that but that was not what I had planned for this story and I’m sticking to it. I'm not going to ignore the events in the show but we will see how that goes.


	11. Wednesday - Friday

“We got a date!”

LaRusso announces as he barges into Johnny’s apartment the following Wednesday. They haven’t seen each other since the last time they visited Robby in juvie and Johnny, _maybe_ , stole his car and told him to fuck off and that was four days ago.

Since then, Johnny’s life was basically going through the motions. Pick up remodeling work whenever it was available, slave away for rich assholes most of the day, get home and get numbly drunk.

And though he wanted so badly to see Miguel, he hadn’t been to the hospital again. It’s different now that Miguel is awake. Johnny wouldn’t have been staring at him behind a door anymore. Miguel would have stared right back at him. And who knows the level of hurt and disappointment that would be there, in his eyes.

LaRusso had filled him in at some point on the details and Johnny’s worst fears had materialized. Miguel would indeed need a surgery.

But now LaRusso is not talking about Miguel.

“A date for Robby’s hearing?” Johnny asks dumbly.

“No, for the release of the Game of Thrones spinoff.” LaRusso mocks and Johnny rolls his eyes not even sure what the twerp is talking about. “Of course, for the hearing!” LaRusso’s eyes have that glint again that they get when his overly enthusiastic self comes out.

“And it’s pretty soon too. In two days! I’m going to be there, Amanda is going to be there-”

Johnny raises an eyebrow at that. “What? Seriously?”

“Yeah. She cares about the kid too, Johnny.”

The ultimate LaRusso trait. Caring about shit but not actually committing to them, Johnny thinks but he’s not going to say anything. Right now, he feels so grateful there’s no way he’d go around picking fights with LaRusso.

“And it will probably look good. His old teacher having his back even after everything that went down.” LaRusso continues.

“What about your daughter?” Johnny asks him and LaRusso looks like he wanted to say something but Johnny beat him to it.

“She wants to be there.” He says after a while. “She really does, but I don’t know. It might get Robby upset and that won't help his case.” 

Johnny's mouth drops. LaRusso isn’t any more trying to protect Sam from Robby’s bad influence. He’s trying to protect Johnny’s kid from any additional emotional distress during his trial.

It’s the morning before the fight but the other way around and Johnny’s awestruck self rears his ugly head again.

“I think you should bring her along. I think Robby, even if he throws a fit at first, he’d be really happy to see her.”

Like Miguel was and even if he feels guilty thinking about Miguel right now, he acknowledges that the LaRussos have that effect on people. Robby will probably be devastated when he finds out about Sam and Miguel but he’ll have to learn eventually, just as his father is trying to do, to simply revel in what the LaRussos have to offer without asking for more.

Daniel stares at Johnny for a moment like he’s thinking about it and then nods. “Okay then, I will.”

Then he looks like something else crosses his mind.

“Hey, listen, do you have a suit?”

Johnny opens his mouth to answer but LaRusso cuts him off. “And definitely not that ugly thing you wore at the all-valley committee hearing.”

Johnny closes his mouth and opens it again after a second. “Then no.”

LaRusso shakes his head and grabs his arm ushering him towards the door. “Come on, then.”

* * *

So LaRusso is taking him shopping, whatever. Let him satisfy that sugar daddy kink he has on him, Johnny doesn’t mind, it happened so many times he’s getting used to it. In fact, he’s that type of asshole to finally take advantage of it.

“Do they have Armanis in this place?” He says as they enter probably the most expensive shop in the mall.

LaRusso rolls his eyes.

Johnny is pretty lost, actually. Hasn’t shopped anything this fancy in a while. When he severed all ties with Sid and his ‘we have to pretend we are a happy family’ formal occasions his wardrobe changed dramatically.

For LaRusso it was probably the other way around cause in no time at all he picks up some clothes and shows them to Johnny.

It’s a two-piece navy-blue thing, with a sky-blue shirt and a burgundy tie.

“Here, just try these on and let’s hope you don’t look like a complete moron. I haven’t got all day.”

Johnny gives him a smack on his shoulder but doesn’t say anything. He grabs the clothes, a little too forcefully and notices how LaRusso winces, probably they will cost him as much as Johnny’s rent, and heads to the fitting room.

When he’s done and he looks himself in the mirror inside the narrow cubicle, he can’t help but smile. He knows he still looks good, even in his fifties.

He steps out maybe a little more eager thank he should, after all he’s getting a new suit to wear to his son’s _trial_ , but he can’t help it. He really wants to see LaRusso’s reaction.

And he’s not disappointed.

LaRusso looks so stunned when he sees him, he actually stands up from the fake gold-plated chair he slouched on waiting for Johnny, like a king on his fucking throne.

“Uh. Does it fit well?

Johnny shrugs, his eyes on LaRusso’s face, trying really hard not to smirk.

“It’s okay.”

“Good.”

LaRusso’s hands are restless, he rubs his palms and hits his knuckles together until something catches his attention.

“Jesus, Johnny. Can’t you even do your own tie properly.” He says and steps close to him and could he be any more of a cliché?

Johnny lets him fumble with the damn thing for a second before he grabs his wrists and lowers his arms until they hang at each side of his body but Johnny doesn’t let go of them. That’s probably the closest they got since their moment.

LaRusso’s age kind of shows from this close. There are crinkles around his eyes and his skin is not so smooth, he can spot a few small freckles and blemishes. And there’s that little red blotch in his left eye. Did he always have that?

His lip licking thing gets worse.

“Johnny, come on man.”

Johnny huffs and lets go of him. LaRusso takes a step back and brings a hand through his hair.

“We-we should probably talk about the hearing. Reede is going to visit with Robby again to prepare for it. Since it’s imminent they will let him in outside of visiting hours.”

He points at Johnny. “And you should prepare what you are going to say.”

The hearing would be pretty informal, even with all the publicity this case has gotten, and that works for them according to Reede, so it would basically be Robby giving his share of the events to the judge.

LaRusso had mentioned something before, under the lawyer’s instructions, how someone besides Robby should testify.

Johnny shakes his head and lowers his gaze to his feet. He hates when he’s feeling this way in front of LaRusso. Like he’s not good enough for his kid. He was never good enough. “You know I’m just going to screw this up. The sensible thing to do is-” He waves an exasperated hand towards LaRusso. “-to have you say something.”

“Listen, you know I’d be more than happy to do it but you’re his actual father. Reede insists it would look better.”

“And hey, I never told you cause you definitely didn’t need another ego boost but that was a damn good speech you delivered at the all valley meeting. And it actually worked.”

“Besides, Reede will guide you through it. You just have to remember what to say.”

Like that it’s the easiest thing in the world for Johnny.

He stays silent for a moment, looking at these nice, overpriced clothes that he's wearing and definitely burning after everything is over.

“What if-" he begins but immediately pauses cause he's afraid to speak the words out loud.

"What if we fail?"

It's LaRusso's turn to bring a hand to his wrist. “Don’t think like that.” He says and Johnny can’t help but nod.

LaRusso pays for everything and they leave the store.

* * *

The two days passed agonizingly fast. Johnny would like to say that he used that time wisely to recollect his thoughts, prepare for his part in all of this but the truth is he was mostly drunk.

He refused to drink the night before though and the morning of the hearing he even went out and bought that sewage looking juice LaRusso had brought him a week ago.

The LaRussos are all going together to the juvenile court so Johnny has to take his own car. Somehow, he hates that part the most. Driving to his son’s hearing in his stupid Cobra Kai car. Alone.

When he gets inside the building his heart drops. There are a dozen young delinquents talking to their lawyers, hugging their relatives and oh god some of them are crying. And they all look so young, even younger than Dutch was when he landed his first sentence.

These are just kids.

He tries to compose himself and find out where he's supposed to be. When he reaches the correct courtroom the LaRussos are already there, huddled close together outside the big door.

Amanda gives him a small hug when he approaches them.

“How are you doing, Johnny?”

“Good. Thank you.”

Sam waves at him. “Hi, Mr. Lawrence.”

Johnny nods at her. “Thank you for being here.” he says and Sam smiles at him.

Daniel is wearing a suit similar to the one he bought him (did he do that on purpose) and smiles warmly to him but he can tell that he’s nervous too. He spent his senior year watching him for signs of weaknesses and even after all this time he knows shit like that.

They step inside and Johhny's eyes immediately land on Robby and he goes to him.

“Hey, how are you holding up?”

“Good.”

He doesn't look that though. Luckily there are no fresh bruises and cuts on his face but he looks like he hasn't slept in days.

Johnny squeezes his mind for something encouraging to say but then the judge enters the room and they all have to go to their places.

He ends up giving him a small hug and whispering to his ear. “You got this, kid.”

The kid is actually doing great. Full kicked puppy mode, following Reede’s instructions, cooperating perfectly. Emphasizes on every point that makes up his whole defense.

Of course, thinks Johnny. Robby’s got that natural con artist thing that Johnny never mastered.

Before he knows it, it’s his time to speak.

He doesn’t recall much afterwards. He’s pretty sure he teared up at some point. He didn’t remember a single thing, of course, from what he and the lawyer had prepared. And when he stood in front of the judge it’s insane how many times he thought that he can’t possibly get through with this and was gut punched by the shame the impulse to just run away brought to him.

But somehow he talked. It went something like how it was never Robby’s fault, any of this, how Johnny had screwed up so badly with him that the kid was doomed from the start. And he probably plead the judge not to destroy Robby’s life, he’s just a lost, angry kid who made a mistake. A horrible accident and he shouldn't pay for it for the rest of his life. And Johnny probably told the judge that if he could be in Robby's place, he would do that in a second cause Johnny actually deserves all of this.

And in the end, he probably told them how much of a shithead father he was that he had missed his son’s birthdays and graduations and soccer matches but here he was now, in his son’s trial begging them not to take him away from him.

The are all waiting for the judicial decision now. The judge, a middle aged man, maybe even younger than Johnny, looks back and forth between him and Robby.

“It seems to me, Mr. Keene-," he says finally "-that an awful lot of people care about you. And so, I’m going to let you go back home to them, son.”

Johnny lets out a sob.

The judge goes on about minimum community service hours and stuff like that but Johnny doesn’t really pay attention. He half registers the LaRussos cheering and hugging him, Daniel’s hand on his arm again but his eyes are on Robby.

And finally he goes to him and he’s got that weird look on his face that Johnny doesn’t recognize cause he hasn’t been the recipient of it many times in his life. It’s probably a glimpse of filial love or some pussy shit like that.

Robby doesn’t hug him but he nods at him and punches lightly at his side.

And oh god, it’s enough.

* * *

Johnny grapples with the handles a few times before letting go.

“It’s locked. They’ll buzz it open when he’s on his way out.” LaRusso says always in need of explaining things to Johnny.

Johnny snorts. “I knew that LaRusso.”

But LaRusso dismisses him, a huge smile on his face.

“Johnny, I have to tell you man, what you said back there-”

“Don’t you get emotional on me too, LaRusso.”

“No, but listen, I think that’s what won the judge over. God that was-I choked up, seriously!”

Johnny rolls his eyes but he actually likes the look of admiration on LaRusso’s face.

“Even Amanda was sniffling and I’m telling you she’s tough. Didn’t even cry during the Titanic.”

Johnny laughs. “I bet you bawled your eyes out with that movie, LaRusso.”

LaRusso shrugs. “Some tears might have been shed, yes. But come on, the guy drowned for her.”

Johnny shakes his head. “You’re such a girl, LaRusso.”

“Ha. Ha. You think you are hilarious.”

Johnny takes a step closer to him.

“You know what I’m thinking now?”

“Yeah, I got a pretty good idea.”

What attracts (he might as well fucking admit it) Johnny the most in LaRusso at this moment is this happiness that radiates of him.

A happiness that probably mirrors Johnny’s because they fucking did it. They got his son out of jail.

And LaRusso got that playful gleam in his eyes that Johnny thinks he could just lean in right now and probably LaRusso would let him-

“Seriously?”

The sound of Robby's voice slaps him back into reality and jumps away from LaRusso.

“You can’t spend five minutes together without being at each other’s throats?”

“No, no, don’t worry, Robby. We weren’t fighting.” LaRusso says putting his arms up defensively. “Just discussing what's going to happen now.”

Robby looks between the two of them. “Listen, thanks for getting me out I guess, but now you should just stay out of my life. Both of you.”

“What are you going to do though?” LaRusso asks. “Where are you going to live?”

Robby doesn’t have an answer to that.

LaRusso sighs. “Listen Robby, your old man even fixed his place for you. And yeah, we both know it's a shithole-” Johnny would have smacked him then but Robby actually grins at that so he lets it drop. “But at least he tried. Can you give it a try too?”

“Yeah man, just for a couple of days.” Johnny confirms. “Till you get back on your feet. Or if you want you could stay with me till your mom gets out and you can go back living with her.”

Robby stares at them probably weighing his options and then he shakes his head in defeat.

“Yeah okay,” he says and Johnny for the first time in a while feels like a winner.

* * *

Larusso drops his family at home cause none of them are ready for more LaRusso family time and joins them to the place they are having lunch. He had texted Johnny the address and Johnny was sure it would be a fancy place where they only serve raw sea creatures.

It's not though. It's the most sketchy looking Italian place in Reseda that looks like something out of godfather movie.

But it has the best pizza Johnny has tasted in his life.

“Never thought you’d be caught dead in a place like this, LaRusso.” Johnny tells him when Robby goes to the bathroom.

“Well, you don’t really know me, Johnny.”

Johnny smiles at that, not sure why.

“Yes, I do, LaRusso. I’ve known you for a long time.”

They stare at each other and Johnny wonders how many times in a day he'd have to fight this stupid urge.

“Man, this place has the worst restrooms ever and I’ve just been out of juvie.”

Daniel cringes as Robby sits down again but Johnny just laughs cause even if LaRusso had tried so hard to turn his son into his mini-me that's still Lawrence material right there.

“But this pizza is the best,” Robby says munching at his food and Johnny grins once more. Yeah, definitely his son.

Later, when they are back at his place and Robby is in his own room, drifting off in his bed, Johnny watches him for a moment from the doorway.

He had actually tried to make his place more presentable and even put up Robby's stuff that LaRusso had given him from when Robby was staying with them, in his room.

And though there are a million other things that need fixing Johnny feels that for now he's done all he can. Well maybe all except for one small thing.

He picks up his phone and types in the number without feeling the slightest bit of shame that he has it memorized.

“Johnny?” LaRusso sounds a little worried probably because they were together just a couple of hours ago. “Is everything okay? How’s Robby? Is he getting some rest?”

“Yeah, yeah he’s sleeping it off. That’s not why I called you.”

“What is it?”

Johnny takes a deep breath because it still not that easy for him.

“Thank you, LaRusso.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Ugh, this chapter is probably filled with inaccuracies. I don’t have much time for research, even writing this takes time away from family things I should be doing. I apologize for this and thank you for bearing with me!  
> 2\. But hey, you get a Pretty Woman scene! (Just google Zabka in a suit and you’ll see what I’m talking about)


	12. Saturday 3

There are all here.

His old clothes and those comic books Demetri had given him and his skateboard but only now there’s another skateboard and it looks pretty badass if he’s being honest with himself.

Someone is probably trying to bribe him into liking them.

Even all the books that he had been reading when he was living with the LaRussos are here. ‘The History of Okinawa’? Give him a break. All he was trying to do was win some points with Mr. LaRusso.

Ugh. He should probably throw them away now. Except that he was really enjoying them.

There’s also a weird looking thing on his dresser, like a file folder but it has a badly drawn cartoon of a kid with his skateboard.

“Do you like it?” His dad asks from the doorway.

Robby picks it up. “What is it?”

“A trapper keeper. I was telling you about that. Couldn’t find one with a fighter jet but this is more you anyway.”

Robby nods. “They still sell these?”

“Well, I got it from that rad internet site, ibay.”

Robby raises an eyebrow at that and his dad shrugs.

“Okay, I told LaRusso about it and _he_ got it. And he might have paid for it too but that’s not the point. It turns out you can sell all kind of vintage crap on the internet. Should have never bothered with that sleazy pawn shop.”

“Why did you get me this?”

Johnny raises his shoulders. “We used to have such cool stuff growing up. All you kids have now are screens.”

“But hey, it's okay if you don’t want it.” His dad adds though he looks a little disappointed.

“No I-thank you.”

Johnny smiles at him. “So what are your plans? Wanna do something?”

“I think I’ll just go over to the skate park.”

His dad nods.

“What about you?” Robby asks him. “Don’t you have to go see Miguel or something.”

It’s the honest lack of venom that makes it more hurtful.

His dad shakes his head. “Robby I- there’s no need to be jealous.” He makes a gesture as if to touch him but stops shortly before his hand reaches Robby’s elbow. “I’m here now. I’m trying. Miguel’s father is a crime lord in Equador. You shouldn’t compare yourself to him.”

Robby watches him for a long moment. Then his face softens. He’ll have to talk about it eventually. “In the school fight, when I-”

But his dad cuts him off. “It's alright. We both know it was an accident.”

* * *

Robby had spent the first week of his senior year thinking he might have killed someone.

On the fifth day of said week, Miguel woke up and Sam had emailed him the news.

It was the first email he actually answered asking about him.

Sam took a while to reply though he could see her active status. She told him that Miguel might become paralyzed.

* * *

_Heard you are out. Wanna hang?_

Robby is going over his conversation with Demetri on his phone while waiting for him at the mall.

“Hey dude!” he hears the familiar voice and Robby lifts his head. It’s not just Demetri though, it’s the whole Miyagi-Do crew.

Demetri waves his arms around them. “We kinda move in packs now, you know strength in numbers and all that.”

Robby greets them awkwardly and notices that some of them have trouble looking him in the eyes.

He handles half an hour socializing with his former teammates before feeling the need to crawl out of his skin.

Demetri must have noticed because he grabs his arm and guides him through the big, glass doors to the balcony.

“Thanks.” Robby says when they are leaning against the railing.

“No problemo.”

They sit in silence for a while just watching the cars speeding out in the highway.

“You are not mad at me?” Robby suddenly asks.

“No, dude. Miyagi-Do for life. Or some equally non-threatening catchphrase.” 

Robby gives him that half smirk of his and sees Demetri’s lips curling up into a smile of their own.

“Besides. You didn’t really mean to kick Miguel over the railing. It was an accident.”

* * *

Robby just wanted something of his own.

If his dad had stayed with his mom they would have had each other. And both of them would have been his. The endless parade of men his mother brought home weren’t his.

Mr. LaRusso had tried.

He gave him a home and a job and taught him karate. But all of these weren’t his. Not really. Just another family that felt borrowed.

Even karate isn’t his. It was his dad’s first and then Mr. LaRusso’s.

He just wanted a small corner of this huge world that he could crawl into and call unquestionably his own.

* * *

Mr. LaRusso came over later in the afternoon to check in on them.

When his dad went to the store to buy some extra stuff for Mr. LaRusso to make dinner, he knew he was in for another life lesson.

“So, I was thinking we should go over your school options.” Mr. LaRusso says while rummaging through his dad's fridge, scrunching up his nose from time to time in disbelief. “Obviously, you can return to West Valley but if it’s going to be too uncomfortable-”

“My first day back to school I nearly killed someone. You think I’m ever going back?”

Mr. LaRusso turns around and just looks at him for a moment.

“Then don’t. Take a year, come work in the dealership. It’s a ghost town right now so it’s a pretty damn easy job.”

Robby raises an eyebrow. “I can do that?”

Mr. LaRusso gives him one of his big smiles. “Sure! I’m telling you kid, you were a natural.”

When Robby doesn’t say anything else Mr. LaRusso sighs, his smile receding. “Robby, I know you hate me. Probably hate your dad too. But flushing your own life down the toilet it’s not a way for you to get back at us. I know it might look like that now, but when all this is over, and you’re older you are only going to wonder why the hell you did all these things.”

Robby doesn't say anything. Mr. LaRusso's speeches used to be more fun.

“Just think about it.”

Robby stares at him, pinching his lips together.

“I think I’d like to go to my old school.” He says finally.

Mr. LaRusso beams. “Seriously?”

Robby nods. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but I might have some friends there left.”

Mr. LaRusso shows him all his teeth and pats him softly on the shoulder. “And I would love to have you at Miyagi-Do, again.”

Robby shakes his head. “What if your other students don't want me there?”

“I don’t think anyone would have a problem with that. But even if they did, they’d be welcome to leave.”

His grip on Robby's shoulder becomes a little tighter as if to emphasize his next words.

“I failed you Robby. As your teacher and as your friend. But I would like to start over.”

Robby stares at his hands. Maybe Mr. LaRusso will listen to him. “At the moment of the fight I- I just wanted Miguel to go down so he would stop hurting me.”

“I never meant for any of this to happen.”

“Robby,” Mr. LaRusso says, searching for his gaze and looking straight into his eyes. “That was an accident.”

* * *

Robby had spent the next weeks of his senior year thinking he might have paralyzed someone.

And all that feels his is this kid lying broken on a staircase.

And later, while resting on his bed late at night he replays the whole thing over and over in his head. Here, in this room at his dad apartment's, there isn’t the constant stream of sounds that was emanating in juvie to keep him distracted. It’s pretty quiet. Except for-

This horrible buzzing sound. Like a siren but more hollow. Where is it coming from, is a car getting robbed or something. It’s so loud. It covers everything, there are no other sounds anymore.

It’s. Just. This. Ringing.

It’s coming from inside his head.

It’s coming from inside his head and he can’t move. He can’t even see, it’s all kind of blurred. His heart beats so fast he thinks it’s gonna burst out of his chest. Why is this happening?

He hadn’t killed anyone.

And what happened was an accident.

But what if.

What if it wasn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't been able to tell already this is basically a Robby Keene deserves all the love and acceptance in the world story with a bit of Lawrusso at the side.


	13. Wednesday - Thursday

Johnny knows something is up. He knows but he’s so content to have Robby living with him, seeing him every morning when he wakes up, being able to talk to him pretty much any goddamn time he wants to, that he doesn’t really acknowledge it. He does what he does best and tries to sweep it under the rug.

Besides, the kid has had a hell of a month. He’s prone to act weird.

Robby spends most of his days sulking in his room or hanging out with that weird, lanky kid that used to be his student and Johnny, _maybe_ , regrets just a little smacking around.

He drives Robby to his community service, mostly to this soup kitchen that Johnny keeps bumping into that homeless lady who can’t leave him well enough alone.

They don’t talk much. Whenever Johnny starts a serious conversation Robby pretends to agree with him and cuts it short.

Johnny is trying though. He really is but the truth is he doesn’t really know _how_ to try. The sensible thing to do, that annoying voice at the back of his head is chanting at him, would be to ask dad of the century, Daniel LaRusso about it. But at some point, he’ll have to stop relying to LaRusso for everything. At some point Daniel will come to his senses and go back to his wife and his cereal ad life and stop giving two shits about any member of the extended Lawrence family.

Case in point, he hasn’t heard from LaRusso in three days. Not that he’s – fuck it he’s definitely counting.

He knows he and Robby talk, though. On the internet like pussies. And last Sunday Johnny drove Robby to Miyagi-Do cause Daniel still teaches karate and it was the first time Johnny stepped foot inside the dojo. He was kind of impressed. The garden was undeniably beautiful but still Johnny thought it’s not the best place for teaching a sport that involves hitting and kicking the shit out of each other. He ended up staying for the whole session like a divorced stay-at-home mom with too much time in her hands.

It was worth it though cause LaRusso definitely looked uncomfortable trying to teach defense techniques with Johnny watching his every move.

Robby is supposed to start school next week. At first they wanted to expel him but LaRusso arranged everything and seriously when will Johnny start running his own life.

He tried to explain to Johnny at some point, how he managed that, something about persuading the school that it would look good to accept back a reformed member of the community yada yada. Johnny wasn’t really paying attention. Magic tricks work when you don’t know how they happen.

Anyway. Johnny doesn’t want to acknowledge that something is wrong with Robby but that doesn’t mean he is not going to do something about it. He may not be good with talking and processing his feelings and shit but grand, flashy gestures? That’s his thing.

They are sitting at his counter, eating frozen pizza for dinner when Johnny tells him. “So. I got in touch with that place your mom is. They said she passed her initial days. She can have visitors now.”

Robby chokes. “Really?”

Johnny nods. “Yeah. I was thinking maybe we could go there tomorrow; I don’t have any work scheduled.”

And there’s that glimpse again in Robby’s eyes. Like their relationship could still be salvaged.

“Do you think she knows what happened?” Robby asks him.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure, I think they are not supposed to watch the news but maybe she saw it somehow. It was all over the internet.”

“I should tell her myself.”

“That’s probably the best idea.”

Robby looks like he’s thinking of something else.

“Hey, do you think maybe Mr. LaRusso would want to ride along?” he asks and Johnny’s stomach tightens.

He shrugs. “We can ask him,” he says and adds almost immediately “I mean. You ask him. Now.” He searches around the room. “Where’s your phone?”

Robby shakes his head “I’m gonna send him something on viber.”

Johnny nods like he knows what the fuck that is.

“Okay. Yeah. You do that. And let me know.”

LaRusso says yes of course so he picks them up when he gets off from work the following day. He looks tired, Johnny thinks, and for the first time since LaRusso served him that little speech of his about the thousand things on his plate, he doesn’t recall it in his mind with resentment but with a little sympathy.

The rehab place looks like a mini Playboy mansion. There all kinds of hot babes, doing yoga and stretching out and shit and he even notices Robby giving them some appreciative glances.

Johnny thinks it’s probably a place for young celebrities to get their shit together, even the name, Malibu Canyon Recovery, is pretentious.

“How is Shan paying for all this?” He can’t help but wonder loudly.

LaRusso throws him a sideways glance and begins to awkwardly say something but Johnny rolls his eyes putting a hand in front of his face to stop him. “You know what, I don’t really wanna know.”

Robby seems impatient so they go out at the back to the patio and there’s she is, alone sitting at a table, reading.

Robby jogs to her and she rushes over to him and they hug so tightly they probably cracked their ribs.

LaRusso smiles at them and Johnny feels a warm sensation swelling in his chest.

Shannon looks really good, and Robby beams at her. They have a lot to talk about though so Johnny just grabs LaRusso and they wander aimlessly around the halls of this place. Johnny needs a drink but he supposes it would be really fucking inappropriate to search for one in a rehab center.

When the visiting hours are over he hugs Shan while she whispers in his ear to take care of Robby and they are on their way.

As soon as they are back to his place, Robby announces that he has to go skateboarding. Seeing his mom again after so long probably took its toll and he always go skateboarding when he wants to deal with the emotional stuff.

When he’s gone, Johnny thinks LaRusso will take off too but instead LaRusso turns to him.

“We should talk.”

Johnny nods and they end up in their usual bar. They even get the same booth as that other time. Johnny is positive the bartender thinks they’re fucking.

“You don’t look so good.” Johnny says as soon as they get their drinks. LaRusso even ordered whiskey this time, and that’s another sign of his sorry state.

“Yeah, I’m dealing with a lot of stuff.”

Johnny takes a swig from his Coors. “Care to elaborate?”

LaRusso stares at him for a second possibly contemplating if he should tell him his biggest secrets or whatever.

“Our business is not doing great.” He says finally. “The school fight and my involvement in it- that was a huge blow to the dealership. We are trying to turn this around. We put our last hopes in this new marketing campaign we are doing. But if it flops then we might be forced to sell everything.”

He should bask in LaRusso’s distress. His success had always rubbed him the wrong way, especially since he based a great deal of it on his win over him. But maybe Johnny is a different man now because he doesn’t.

“I’m sorry, man. Hope it works out for you.”

LaRusso searches his face for any signs of sarcasm.

“Thanks.” He replies when he’s apparently satisfied. “Anyway, and I can’t believe I’m saying this but we have bigger problems.””

Johnny nods. “Kreese.” And almost immediately he adds.

“Are you going to fill me in, man? I’m not just curious. I think I need to fully know what we are up against here.”

“You know Kreese. You dealt with him long before I came into the picture.”

“Yeah, but most of the time he treated me like his number one minion. Not like his enemy.”

LaRusso nods. “I guess I have to tell you eventually.” He says and downs his whiskey signaling to the waitress for another round.

When their drinks are on the table, he begins his narration. “It was during my second tournament in ’85. I was really torn about it. First, I wanted to defend my title but then Mr. Miyagi’s no competition philosophy got to me and we decided not to sign up for it.”

“And anyway we were busy trying to get our business off the ground, the little trees.”

Johnny raises an eyebrow. “Little trees?”

“Yeah you know, bonsai trees. Like the one I gave you and you threw it on the ground.”

Shit. “You knew that was me, huh.”

“I find a destroyed bonsai the same day my old high school bully came to the dealership, what do you think?”

Johnny doesn’t think anything except he doesn’t like what Daniel called him. But he guesses that’s pretty much what he was. It’s a good thing LaRusso keeps going on about tiny trees cause otherwise he wouldn’t be able to handle the pang in his chest.

“You didn’t even wait until you were further away. You literally threw it outside of our doorstep.”

“Whatever. I’m not going to apologize about a tree.”

“You should. I spent a lot of time restoring it back to health.”

Somehow, the idea that LaRusso picked up his discarded bonsai and spent hours on it trying to make it look like new makes Johnny want to both smack him _and_ kiss the corners of his mouth a little.

What a nerd.

“Anyway, you want to hear the story or not? LaRusso says and continues. “So I wasn’t going to enter the tournament. But there was this guy, this- this punk, Mike Barnes that kept harassing me into signing up. He wanted my title but he actually wanted to fight _me_ in order to get it.”

“And I’m telling you, he was the real deal, nothing like you guys did to me back in the day.”

Johnny raises an eyebrow at that, internally wincing at his memories of hurting Daniel.

LaRusso continues. “Yeah. He and his goons destroyed our little shop, repeatedly beat the shit out of me and they literally tried to throw me and Jessica, this girl I was hanging out with back then, off a cliff.”

“You mean like when I-” but LaRusso cuts him off. “No, an actual 3000 ft high or something cliff.”

“Woah.”

“Yeah. So I signed the goddamn papers to compete. But Mr. Miyagi wouldn’t train me. He felt so strongly against it.”

Up until this point, LaRusso seemed a little mad or maybe a bit shaken up remembering all these. Johnny can't blame him, it's all pretty fucked up.

But then, just before he's about to speak again, LaRusso looks genuinely spooked.

“And then this guy.” He shakes his head and he has the most painful smile Johnny has ever seen on his face. “This unbelievable guy, this – this supervillain from a bad eighties cartoon comes around spewing shit like he was a teammate of Kreese at their old dojo and that he wanted to apologize for Kreese’s behavior and how he had come to the valley to help Kreese regain his balance and then-”

“He told us Kreese was dead. His first of many times.” LaRusso sighs.

“Anyway. That guy, Terry Silver, he offered to train me, right? He even defended me against Barnes at some point, kicked his ass while he had me on the ground.”

“And the thing is this whole time I was so scared. Not of losing to Barnes, no. Not even having my ass kicked. You know I was an expert at that back then,” he said raising his eyebrows at Johnny and as on cue Johnny’s chest twinges.

“I was just scared. I can’t really explain it. That was all I felt.”

“So, I accepted the guy’s offer. I really felt there was no other option. I joined his Cobra Kai—"

Johnny’s eyebrows fly up to his hairline. “You. You were Cobra Kai?”

“For a few months, yes.”

Johnny must look pretty dumbfounded right now. He can’t possibly process all this information that LaRusso is throwing around so casually like he’s talking about how he sold his first car.

“Now, I don’t know and I don’t want to know what kind of sick regime Kreese had you on for all those years but this guy, well, I won’t tell you the specifics but his training was brutal.”

“And the worst part was that he was getting in my head too. That strike first blah blah bullshit was starting to grow on me. Until I punched a guy in the face for talking to Jessica.”

LaRusso must have realized how familiar that sounded the moment the words left his mouth because he rolls his eyes.

“The difference is I regretted it immediately, Johnny”

“Yeah, well maybe I need more time than you, LaRusso.”

LaRusso shakes his head. “Anyway, it’s then that I felt like I had enough. I decided to drop out of the tournament and to stop training with Silver.”

“But then, when I went to the dojo to tell him, Barnes was there and not only him. Your fucking sensei was there too, in all his psychotic glory, back from the dead and all. Apparently they were all in cahoots with each other, had devised this convoluted plot in order to get me to enter the tournament, had Barnes kick my ass and make Cobra Kai look badass or whatever so students would start rolling up to Kreese again.”

Johnny just stares at him.

“Jesus fucking Christ.” he says shaking his head, rubbing his hand over his eyes. “And I brought Kreese back into your life.”

LaRusso sighs softly. “You didn’t know all that. Although you knew what Kreese was, you should never have allowed him back into _your_ life in the first place.”

“You think I don’t beat myself over it every day?”

LaRusso’s expression softens. “Listen, I get it. I was so lucky to have Mr. Miyagi. Can’t even begin to imagine how things were for you. That’s what Kreese saw in you in the first place and hooked his claws into.”

Johnny nods and then asks him. “So what happened? You still won the tournament, right?”

“Yeah. I didn’t even need to fight in the preliminary rounds, so I was fresh.”

“Oh yeah. I had heard about that stupid rule.”

LaRusso nods. “But that guy Barnes-he was so fucking ruthless. And him and Silver and Kreese, they had this twisted little strategy, you know? He kept winning points and then losing them by beating the crap out of me. That fear I was telling you about? It had completely taken over. I was paralyzed. I couldn’t move.”

“But then Mr. Miyagi helped me. I don’t remember what exactly he said to me but it worked. That fucker kept shittalking me and Mr. Miyagi while I was down and that worked as well, I think. Gave me that bit of rage I needed.”

“So, what did you do?”

“I got up and kicked his ass, what do you think?” LaRusso says with a smirk but almost immediately his expression changes. “Listen, I don’t delude myself. Yeah I focused and regained my balance and everything and I beat him in the sudden death round but I know that the guy could have beaten me in like three seconds. He was better than me and he was willing to draw blood.”

“But still I basked in the victory like I did with you.” LaRusso says and gives Johnny a sly smile.

“And that’s about it.”

They stay silent for a long moment just sipping their drinks.

Then LaRusso speaks again suddenly. “Took me three years of therapy to come to terms with all that.”

He looks at Johnny challengingly. “You’re going to make fun of me for going to a shrink?”

Johnny shakes his head. “No. If that shit worked for you then - good.”

“Well. I still live with the fear. Just try not to let it win.”

Johnny just looks at him. When did this happen to him? He supposes even back then, after their fight, after LaRusso beat him with a mangled leg he must have felt that stupid, fucking feeling that he’s feeling now.

He clears his throat. They came here to plan Kreese’s demise, right? “So how do we bring the fucker down?” Johnny asks LaRusso.

“The way I see it, we can’t just barge in there and beat him up.”

“Why not?”

“Johnny, the guy faked his death twice. Even if we do beat him up, he will find a way to turn it against us. We just have to outsmart him. Expose him for what he really is. Then no one, absolutely nobody would want to train under him. I thought about talking to the kids’ parents at first. And take it from there.”

“I don’t know, man. That all seems like a lot of hustle.”

LaRusso shakes his head. “Remember how we beat him the first time? In ‘84?”

“You think I’ll ever forget? You kicked me in the face and—"

“No, no. That wasn’t how. So, you lost the tournament, so what. There are dozens of dojos out there operating normally. Some of them haven’t even seen a trophy. Kreese could have just been like ‘so you lost tough shit next time you’ll win’. But he’s so twisted in the head he couldn’t help himself. He showed you his true self and you abandoned him pretty soon after that, right?”

“Yeah. Quit Cobra Kai that same night. Bobby told everyone about what went down, persuaded all the other students to drop Kreese.”

“See? In the end it was you guys who beat him, not me.” He says and smiles warmly to Johnny.

And Johnny reaches that point again when LaRusso leaves him fucking speechless.

He tries to wrap his head around everything LaRusso just told him. He knew Kreese was a psycho but to actually orchestrate all that? And what about all those other guys.

And yes of course he’s so mad and frustrated and if Kreese was here right now he’d kick _him_ off a cliff.

It all burns inside him. The rage and the anger and the need to make Kreese pay, to make all of them pay, to go on a freaking rampage but as he looks at Daniel here, with him, despite everything he told him or most likely in the wake of everything he told him, the most prominent thing of it all that blazes in his mind like a flashy neon sign is this undeniable _longing_.

He can’t explain it, can’t even begin to understand it so he’ll just do what he’s most good at and blame it all on LaRusso because for fuck’s sake he’s the strongest, baddest badass he knows.

And he’s so, _so_ done with pretending or not pretending or whatever it was that LaRusso said _– just a moment. Nothing more to it_ \- when his mind screams at LaRusso every fucking time he lays his eyes on him ‘ _I want to touch you, dude. Why are you making it so difficult_?’--

“I jerk off thinking of you.”

LaRusso doesn’t actually spits out his whiskey but he gulps so hard Johnny thinks he’s going to have a coughing fit.

He doesn’t though he just shakes his head. “Goddammit, Johnny.”

“What? You can’t handle that?”

“Why would you even tell me this?”

Johnny shrugs. “Because it happens.”

The conversation is strained after that and finally, after another drink, LaRusso announces that he’s too beat and takes off, leaving Johnny alone to contemplate whether he laid it on a little thick.

Later that evening he’s alone in his apartment, Robby hasn’t returned from skateboard practice. His mind is so fuzzy from everything that LaRusso told him and how he, once again, left him hanging.

He’s making his way through his last Coors Banquet six pack. He keeps telling himself he should cut down on the drinking, especially now that Robby is back in his life and Miguel is awake and maybe even waiting for him to clean up his act and help him piece himself together again, but when he is completely sober his mind tends to dwell on the fact that LaRusso’s arms are still too thin or how he must have dehydration problems cause he’s always licking his fucking lips. And other small shit like that which Johnny can’t handle on a daily basis.

He put on a playlist that Miguel had made for him in order to ‘get in touch with the new rock phase.’ As if there was any good rock coming out after 1989. But he really can’t handle the old stuff right now. Even the thought of listening to Speedwagon makes his stomach churns. When did he turn into such a girl, he would never know.

Most of the songs are total crap, as he suspected but then some lyrics catch his attention.

_Have you no idea that you're in deep? I dreamt about you nearly every night this week. How many secrets can you keep?_

He checks his laptop screen. ‘Do I wanna know?’ By Arctic Monkeys. What kind of pretentious douchebags would name their band Arctic Monkeys.

But. He hates to admit that the song is good. And kinda spot on.

_'Cause there's this tune I found that makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat. Until I fall asleep. Spilling drinks on my settee._

As he’s thinking Jesus Christ why does a fake rock band he never heard of have to make songs about his miserable love life, his phone rings.

_Ever thought of calling when you've had a few? Cause I always do_

He knows it’s probably LaRusso at this time of night even if they’d spent the whole day together again.

_Maybe I'm too busy being yours to fall for somebody new_

He doesn’t get his hopes high though. The twerp probably wants to elaborate on how much of a sicko Kreese is or something.

He picks it up regardless.

“Hey.” LaRusso breaths across the line.

“Hey. What’s up?”

“So. Tomorrow is Friday, right?”

“Yeah…”

“I’m getting off early from the dealership and I know Robby has plans with Demetri and the Miyagi kids.”

“Yeah, so?”

There is a pause on the other line, long enough for Johnny to check the screen of his phone to see if the call is still on.

“Hey, man are you there?” But before he can finish the sentence, LaRusso cuts him off.

“Do you wanna, maybe, come over and watch a movie?”

_Been wondering if your heart's still open and if so I wanna know what time it shuts_

Johnny’s mouth drops open. It’s a good thing they are not facebooking right now or whatever stupid name those videocalls have cause it would be really embarrassing if LaRusso saw him gaping like a fish.

“Woah.” He breathes after a while. “For real?”

“Don’t make a big deal out of it, asshole.” LaRusso says and Johnny can picture him gritting his teeth. “If you _do_ decide to drop by, I’m going to be here after four.” Daniel announces and hangs up not waiting for a reply or most likely a snide comment. Guy sure knows how to handle Johnny’s bullshit after all these years.

Johnny puts his phone down and resumes his post on the couch. The song still blares from his laptop.

_We could be together. If you wanted to._

Maybe he should buy an Arctic Monkeys shirt or something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. So, Johnny is an inconsiderate asshole and his flirting methods are atrocious. What else is new?  
> 2\. It worked though 😉  
> 3\. Also, the focus of this story will shift to Lawrusso for the next chapters because, after all, this is my karate harlequin romance but we are not done with Robby's story and we are definitely not done with Miguel's.


	14. Friday

Johnny pins LaRusso against the wooden wall of this ridiculous little house and shoves his tongue in his mouth the minute Daniel slides the door closed.

“Jesus Christ, Johnny.” LaRusso pants in his lips but rubs his own tongue against Johnny’s.

Johnny sucks on it hard, trying to feel it as deep inside his mouth as he can. The taste of his toothpaste is so sharp it burns him a little. How many times did LaRusso brush his teeth, Johnny wonders. When he pulls back an inch to catch his breath, he scoffs at him.

“What? You called me here to actually watch a movie?”

Daniel shakes his head. His hands are going up Johnny’s shirt, stroking circles against his stomach and chest.

“I-I cooked.”

“Good. We are going to be hungry later.”

Johnny dives back in, grabbing LaRusso’s waist, his knee between his legs and drags his tongue, across Daniel’s throat from the base of his neck to the edges of his face. He sucks at his earlobe when he reaches it.

Daniel’s hands stop their exploration of Johnny’s upper body for a second and he puts them on Johnny’s hips to align their erections together.

Johnny’s hazy mind briefly remembers their other time like this. “That’s how you like it, huh?”

“Yes. Yes.”

“I’m not coming in my jeans like a teenager. You better can handle my dick, LaRusso.” Johnny says and palms Daniel’s own cock through his blue sweatpants as if to emphasize his point. The fabric is so soft and thin he can feel its shape in his hand, different from his own, straighter too where Johnny’s does a little curve.

LaRusso bangs his head back against the wall and he honest to god whimpers. Johnny finds his mouth again and kisses him more softly to help him focus. It’s too early for this to end. Daniel breathes a little funny for a second against Johnny’s lips, his palm against Johnny’s stomach as if to steady himself. And then he sneaks his hand lower, just slips the tips of his fingers underneath the waistband of Johnny's jeans.

“Oh fuck—"

Daniel’s pupils dilate and he bites hard on Johnny’s bottom lip. Johnny’s smirking in his mouth. He hadn’t bothered wearing any underwear. He just showered two times to cool off the heat at the pit of his stomach and if he's being honest brushed his teeth a couple of times too. Then he put on a clean pair of jeans and he was at LaRusso’s ten minutes earlier. So naturally he spent some time circling the neighborhood until it was five minutes after four and that’s the longest he could wait, really. Just as he's ready to thrust his hips upwards so Daniel will finally touch him, LaRusso asks him.

“Did -did you bring anything?”

“What? Bring what?”

“You know—"

“Oh. Oooh.” That kills the mood for a second. “No, sorry man, didn’t think about it.”

Daniel groans in frustration, his fingers still skimming inches above Johnny’s cock.

“You haven’t got any here?”

LaRusso snorts. “I was married for eighteen years Johnny. I don’t even remember the last time I wore one.”

“It’s okay man. It’s cool. I got tested a few months back and haven’t been with anyone since.”

“Really? How many months?”

“Shut up.” Johnny snaps but not for long because LaRusso’s mouth is on Johnny’s again and somehow now it’s more desperate. Like LaRusso wants to make up for all the time Johnny was left untouched.

“Does this place have a bed or are we doing this on the floor?”

LaRusso takes a step back and pushes Johnny towards the back of the house. Johnny kicks off his shoes on the way but LaRusso is already walking around barefoot and for some reason this little detail gets Johnny’s dick even harder against his jeans.

Johnny spins around just before they reach the back room and lifts LaRusso’s red shirt over his head. He wants to marvel at Daniel’s naked chest for a moment longer but LaRusso practically shoves him the rest of the way.

It’s a single room with a fireplace and just a big bed in the middle that looks brand new and expensive.

And Johnny internally snorts because even this new, living-in-a-karate-greenhouse-dumped-by-his-hot-wife LaRusso still has better stuff than Johnny.

And although LaRusso had implied earlier that he hasn't been with anyone since Amanda, Johnny for some reason needs that to be crystal clear in his head. “This is where you bring your random hook ups now that you're single?”

LaRusso doesn’t answer, he just kisses him again and the feeling of his exposed skin against Johnny’s shirt is so distracting but Johnny won’t really enjoy this if he keeps this nagging thought at the back of his mind.

“Tell me.” He growls.

LaRusso shakes his head. “No, no. Just you.” The raw honesty in LaRusso’s voice does it for Johnny and he pushes him on the bed. With a rough gesture he yanks LaRusso's sweatpants along with his boxers off of him.

So yeah. That's it. Daniel LaRusso naked in front of him. Nothing to write home about.

And LaRusso’s dick in all his glory, thin and dark and long. A second wave of arousal washes over Johnny so hard he has to keep himself from crying out.

He's still fully clothed so he takes a step back from the bed, and in mere seconds takes his shirt and his jeans off. He knows he's still kind of impressive to look at, especially when it comes to forty something divorced housewives looking for a good time.

But he wants to see if it will have the same effect on LaRusso. Obviously it does cause Daniel is writhing and breathing hard on his sheets like he can’t get enough of him.

Point Lawrence.

He actually needed that little bit of reassurance because if he’s being honest, he is scared out of his damn mind. He never had another dude ogling his dick like it’s a gift from heaven. Kissing and touching was one thing. Getting off with a guy was another. Which begs the question.

“Have you done this before?”

LaRusso shakes his head. And then adds quickly “You?”

“No.”

Johnny takes a step forward until his knees are touching the edge of the bed.

“So, how are we doing this?”

“We’ll improvise. Now come here already.” LaRusso commands and props himself on one elbow, grabs Johnny’s wrist and pulls him in. Johnny falls on top of him and suddenly every single inch of his naked body is touching LaRusso’s.

Daniel's eyes go wide and he makes a hissing sound that makes Johnny’s dick twitch against his. There is a slight shiver that runs through LaRusso’s whole body. He’s trembling. LaRusso is trembling out of want. For him. It’s so absurd if he allows himself to think twice about it.

But he doesn’t have the time to think anything because LaRusso licks his lips again and whispers in Johnny’s ear. “Could you--could you move?”

He starts pushing back against LaRusso, his hips moving back and forth, rubbing himself in every bit of LaRusso’s skin, against the joint between his shaft and his leg and against his equally hard dick.

Daniel’s hands are all over him, his shoulders, his sides, the muscles in his arms, his hips. Nails gently scratching his back and again exploring every bit of his body that he can reach like he’s never touched another human being in his life. He digs his nails on the flesh of Johnny's hips trying to pull him even closer but how much more Johnny thinks. Even a little more and he’ll be engraved into LaRusso’s body.

And Daniel’s reaction. He just looks so lost into it. He’s mostly keeping his eyes closed, his mouth searching blindly for Johnny’s whenever his thrusts bring him close to LaRusso’s face.

And it’s good, it’s so good, how the fuck is it so good? He wasn’t so deprived, was he?

Johnny's probably jerking off to this for days.

But he’s not going to last long. And Johnny doesn’t want it to be over yet. He wants to savor that feeling for as long as he can because who knows how long he’ll have to wait before he could have this again.

God, don’t let it be another thirty-four fucking years.

So he pushes back and sits on his knees, hovering above Daniel. His palm is flat next to Daniel’s face to steady him and with his other hand he grabs the base of his cock to guide it and starts rubbing it all over LaRusso’s skin slowly.

Fuck, he’s spreading precome everywhere, Daniel’s skin glistens with it.

He presses with the tip on the sensitive skin between LaRusso's sack and his entrance. He rubs circles against it and it most likely does something to Daniel cause he moans so openly now, making the most exquisite sounds. Johnny can't help it. He leans down and kisses him hard.

“Stop teasing-” LaRusso pants against his mouth and crosses his legs behind Johnny’s hips and even if Johnny likes to think of himself as a solid wall of muscle, LaRusso’s freakishly strong legs bring him down on top of him again.

LaRusso slides an arm among them and takes him on his hand and Johnny gasps. He thrusts back into Daniel’s hand and there’s little to none coordination in their movements, the whole thing is kind of messy.

But he’s close. So fucking close and he knows it’s gonna be a big one cause there’s this sensation that flows through him reaching down to his toes, the feeling that he’s burning.

There's a whisper in his ear. “Oh God, I wanted this. I wanted you for so long.”

For a single second the fire rises to it's full height and then he's coming so heavily his whole body shakes with the sheer force of it.

Daniel moves more slowly now driving Johnny through the last of his orgasm.

Shit. That was a lot. But Daniel doesn’t’ seem too deterred. In fact he cups his cock, moving his hand up and down gently.

When LaRusso’s hand leaves him they are still so close he can feel as Daniel palms his own dick slicking its whole length with Johnny's come. LaRusso is arching his back and rolling his eyes back into his head. He moans breathlessly and Johnny feels he could be hard again in a moment just by watching LaRusso get off beneath him.

And then LaRusso's body tenses and a little cry escapes his mouth, while his cock pulses against Johnny's skin. When he's done he takes a few shallow breaths, trying to compose himself, his hand moving lazily mixing everything together.

And even if Johnny’s skin is kind of sensitive right now and he should probably be more disgusted at this, he doesn’t really mind.

He rolls off of LaRusso and plops on his stomach beside him. Neither of them say anything for a while.

But LaRusso can't say silent for long. “That was-”

“Yeah-”

“You’re sure you haven’t done this before?” Johnny asks him and it’s supposed to be a joke but he still waits for an answer.

LaRusso shakes his head again.

“I told you, no. I’ve never been with a guy before. But I played this in my head so many times, it was like running on auto pilot.”

“So, you thought about this too.”

“Obviously. Not this specifically but I thought of us together.”

“Really? What else have you thought about?”

“One step at time, Johnny.”

The next few hours go like that. At some point, LaRusso brings them something delicious that he made for dinner (roast pork with vegetables and sweet potatoes he said) and they eat in bed just in their boxers. Johnny really tries not to make a mess this time. But basically, they stay entangled, skin against skin, sometimes they drift off and then wake each other up when the need burns too great and they start all over again.

Until Johnny feels something tugging at this shoulder.

“Johnny, wake up.”

“Hmm-”

“Wake up, man it’s 3am.”

“Shit, Robby—"

“Yeah, we fell asleep.”

He gets out of the bed in records time, picks up his discarded clothes and puts them on while rushing to the door. LaRusso follows him, just in his boxers and when they are at the door Johnny pauses for a second.

He looks at Daniel's face and marvels at how he's not more weirded out by all of it.

“So. Are you going to be a pussy about it in the morning, LaRusso?”

Daniel rolls his eyes. “Goodnight, Johnny.” He says and then as if to promise him something he gives him a last kiss.

Johnny tries to be as quiet as he can while unlocking the door to his apartment. He feels like he’s back in high school, sneaking into his house scared shitless of waking up Sid.

While he closes the door behind him he hears a groan coming from the couch. Damn.

Robby rises up from the couch where he apparently had dozed off and looks at him groggily.

And how many times has that kid stayed up in unholy hours of the night waiting for his mom to come home, probably with an asshole in tow.

His heart drops but he can't really blame Shannon. Like he's any better.

“Where have you been?” Robby asks him.

“Just with LaRusso. Hit a few bars.”

“What kind of bars are open at,” he checks his phone, “4 am.”

Johnny rolls his eyes.

“Come on, the guy got dumped by his wife, he needs to drink away his sorrows once in a while.”

Robby's expression hardens at that, he's fully awake now.

“Maybe that was your way of dealing when you and mom broke it off but Mr. LaRusso isn’t like that. You shouldn’t drag him with you to doing things he is uncomfortable with.”

Johnny cringes internally at his son’s choice of words.

“He is a grown man. I didn’t have to drag him into anything.”

“They are probably getting back together at some point, anyway.”

Johnny’s chest tightens a little at that.

“I don’t know about that. He acts like it’s pretty final.”

Robby thinks about it for a second. “They-they argued a lot,” he affirms. “Mostly about your stupid rivalry.”

“Hey. I’m not responsible for them splitting.” Johnny says a little more defensively that he probably should.

Robby rolls his eyes “Yeah, obviously,” he says in a way that translates into _‘Dude. Who would ruin their marriage over you? Have you looked at yourself?’_

“Listen, I’m sorry I got you worried. I promise I'm going to call you next time I'm staying out late.”

Robby scoffs. “I’m not worried.”

Johnny looks at him for a second. “Right. Well, I’m beat. And you should get some proper rest too.” Johnny says and leaves to his room.

As he is down the hall he hears Robby's voice again. “Goodnight.” A small smile appears on Johnny's face.

When he's in his room he drops on his bed thinking he should take a shower or at least change out of his filthy clothes but it's so damn late and all he wants is to sleep.

Everything feels sticky and uncomfortable but his son is in the other room, Miguel isn’t in a coma fighting for his life and even after thirty five fucking years LaRusso still finds ways to blow his mind.

It's good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think


	15. Saturday 4

They meet again the very next day.

It happens somewhat like this. Johnny wakes up around noon, Robby is already up trying to put together something that resembles breakfast.

Johnny hops into the shower to finally get rid of the evidence of last night’s activities and when he’s clean and in fresh clothes, they eat on the couch watching Saturday morning cartoons.

Somehow, they end up talking about karate and Johnny insists on practicing a few things with his son, showing him the competition. Robby reluctantly agrees so they push the coffee table out of the way to make enough room.

It’s still a limited space so Johnny again thinks bitterly of his old dojo, now in Kreese’s ugly hands. They go at it for a while until Johnny admits defeat because they keep bumping on the furniture.

Robby shrugs. He’ll practice his moves the following day at Miyagi-Do, anyway. Johnny feels a pang of jealousy in his chest but doesn’t say anything.

And when he goes back to his room to find his discarded phone the feeling disappears entirely, replaced by the strong sentiment that he desperately wants to watch LaRusso get off in _his_ bed.

LaRusso had mentioned at some point that he was going to spend his Saturday with his kids. The whole day drill. But he didn’t say anything about his night. Robby is going with Demetri to a superhero movie in the evening and seriously thank god for that kid, how could he ever make fun of him. Not for keeping Robby out of the house but for being a true friend at his time of need, Johnny’s mind tells him to appease some of the guilt.

Johnny spends exactly ten seconds contemplating how he should phrase his invitation to LaRusso.

He ends up sending him exactly that, brutal honesty seems to work with Daniel.

 _Hey. So how about you come all over_ my _sheets tonight?_

Ten seconds later, his phone pings.

_You’re such a romantic soul, Johnny Lawrence._

But almost immediately he gets another text.

_What time?_

Johnny smiles at the screen. It’s always a nice feeling when someone wants you as much as you want them. And it’s probably the weirdest thing in the universe but his body really aches for Daniel LaRusso.

So, that’s where they are now. Heavily making out on Johnny’s couch, LaRusso’s hand slipping under his shirt.

Johnny has an arm around LaRusso’s waist, his other is resting on top of his thigh. Music is playing from Johnny’s laptop.

But then LaRusso pushes him away just an inch.

“Wait a minute—"

“What?”

“What are we listening to?”

Shit. Stupid LaRusso being a movie trivia buff.

“Just-just some songs man, come on.” Johnny says and tries to put his mouth on him again.

“No. No, wait. That’s ‘Battle of Evermore’ and before that it was—‘Rock and Roll’--” LaRusso’s eyes grow wide and his eyebrows reach his hairline.

“Oh my God, Johnny! Is this side one, Led Zeppelin IV?”

“Yeah, yeah, what if it is, you’re kinda killing the mood, man.”

And then LaRusso throws his head back, laughing his ass off.

“You are unbelievable, Johnny!” he says between chuckles. “Seriously you are out of this world!”

And Johnny isn’t sure whether to take it as a compliment or not but then LaRusso grabs him by the back of his neck and brings his mouth down to his own with all the force he can muster.

“See. It works, LaRusso.” Johnny mumbles in his lips and Daniel laughs again.

It’s kind of different than yesterday, Johnny thinks, as he’s looking at LaRusso spread on his bed, in just his underwear. Not that any of it is awkward but there isn’t all the urgency of their first time so Johnny can linger on some things now.

Like the shape of LaRusso’s chest under his fingers. He was never built like Johnny but still the skin is taut and smooth. There are some saggy spots, especially under his armpits but Johnny is like that too. Both of them are not getting any younger. Fuck, they are two fifty something year old men and they’re fooling around like teenagers. Sometimes Johnny’s head spins when he’s thinking too much about it.

Anyway. Another thing about LaRusso it’s the legs. They are so fucking long, it’s like almost disproportionate to the rest of his body. Almost. And there isn’t a hint of a curve in them. He has the straightest legs he’s seen in a man. Isn’t it funny?

And then LaRusso takes off his own boxers and Johnny’s musings come to a halt. 

Johnny leans down and licks a trail from LaRusso’s stomach, his face dangerously close to his dick, to his jaw.

Daniel fumbles with his zipper and then uses everything at his disposal, hands, legs, toes to rid Johnny of his jeans and boxers.

The feeling of LaRusso’s cock pressed against his own is probably Johnny’s new favorite thing in the world.

But Johnny wants to mix it up a little. This whole absurd thing between them is, if nothing else, experimental.

“Here, let me try something.”

LaRusso nods and Johnny grabs his waist and spins him around so Daniel is on his stomach. Johnny lies on top of him, careful not to crash him. His dick presses against LaRusso’s crack. He slips a hand down there and spreads his cheeks a little so he can glide more easily between them.

Johnny starts thrusting earnestly and Daniel moans, his fingers clutching the sheets.

“You like it?” Johnny asks him. “Can you come like this?”

“I can try—"

Johnny sneaks an arm under him and cups LaRusso’s cock. “Here, fuck into my hand like this—"

For what seems like forever the only movement in the room are Daniel’s hips pushing back and forth into Johnny’s fist, his own strokes trying to keep up with the rhythm, the friction of LaRusso’s ass rubbing against Johnny’s dick.

Johnny buries his face at the crook of Daniel’s neck licking and sucking at the skin there.

And it’s lazy and slow and the embers in Johnny’s body don’t flare up but they burn softly with such a warm glow.

“Say something--” LaRusso murmurs after a minute.

“What?”

LaRusso lets out a moan again but doesn’t answer.

“Say what?” Johnny insists.

“Anything--”

And then Johnny’s mind clicks.

“You love this don’t you, LaRusso.” He huffs in Daniel’s ear. “I’m sure you’ll like _anything_ I’ll do to you.”

“Probably thinking about it since the day we met. Strutting around with your Jersey punk attitude all the while eye-fucking me and imagining my hard dick against your ass.” As soon as he’s done, he bites down hard on Daniel’s earlobe.

Daniel lets out a whimpering sound and comes, his face shoved into the pillow. Johnny thinks the word affectionately in his mind, removes his hand and then he’s on his knees, hovering above him. He strokes himself fast and rough. It doesn’t take long. He comes all over LaRusso’s back, a few drops landing on his ass and for a single fucked up second Johnny wants to lick them but comes to his senses almost immediately.

LaRusso groans indignantly but doesn’t say anything.

“Don’t move,” Johnny says as soon as he catches his breath. “I’m going to get you cleaned up.”

But when he comes back, a clean towel in his hand, LaRusso is on his back, his arms crossed behind his head, smirking like an asshole.

“Did you just spread my shit all over my bed?

LaRusso snorts. “Yeah, like it doesn’t happen every other day.”

“Hey, I’m not that lonely, LaRusso.”

Daniel rolls his eyes. “Whatever. Mine was already on it, anyway. Come on, let’s change the sheets and then I should take off. Robby is probably going to be home soon--”

As on cue, fucking of course, they hear the front door opening.

“Dad? Are you here?”

LaRusso’s eyes go wide. “Shit!”

Johnny grabs his shoulders. “Get. Dressed.” He says through gritted teeth.

“Hey Robby, how was the movie?” Johnny asks him trying to sound nonchalant as he’s coming out of his bedroom.

“It was okay--Mr. LaRusso?”

“Hi Robby.”

Robby stares at them. “What are you guys doing?”

Daniel takes a step forward trying to distance himself from Johnny’s room as much as possible.

“You know, your dad was showing me his wardrobe. Can you believe this guy, Robby? He actually has some of his old stuff from the eighties.”

Johnny nods awkwardly. “Yeah. I bet him twenty bucks I still have the Cobra Kai red jacket. Pay up, LaRusso.”

“Seriously, Johnny. You are bordering on a hoarding disorder. You should throw some stuff out.”

“Hey, it’s called vintage, LaRusso. People on the internet pay good money for sentimental shit.”

“Whatever. Hey, listen Robby you had dinner yet?”

LaRusso scrambles together something with eggs and other stuff from the pathetic contents of his fridge that still tastes deliciously and they all eat together at his table.

Johnny tries for a moment to think how weird all this is, but in reality, it feels like the most natural thing in the world.

“Yeah, thank God Mr. Miyagi came just in time, otherwise they would have kicked my ass.” LaRusso’s statement brings him back from his mini reverie.

For some fucked up reason, the conversation has advanced to that Halloween night, all those years ago when LaRusso doused him in a bathroom stall and he and his gang retaliated appropriately by beating the shit out of him. But. LaRusso doesn’t narrate it like that. He doesn’t paint him up like a monster to his son. He leaves the beating part out entirely. He makes it sound like it was just some mindless teasing between rivals. Even the kick his ass line, he made it sound like a joke.

 _Awe awe awe_ his mind croaks at him and Johnny shakes his head to shoo the thought away.

But Johnny remembers the truth. As he’s sitting there at his table with his son and this man he was naked with just a couple of hours ago, it all comes back to him. Even the exact karate moves. Head kick, front kick, spinning roundhouse kick, punch, punch, punch. Again and again and again until Daniel couldn’t even stand up and Bobby was screaming at his ear that he’s had enough and thank everything that’s holy that the old man arrived when he did before Johnny could-before he--

He feels like he’s seconds away from emptying his stomach all over the table, until Robby’s voice brings him back to the present.

“I bet you could have taken them all, Mr. LaRusso,” he says and smiles audaciously at his father before turning to Daniel again. “Like those guys at the beach.”

Daniel tenses a little.

Wait, _what_?

“What guys at the beach?” Johnny asks, partially glad for the distraction.

Daniel doesn’t say anything, he just shrugs like it’s not really a big deal.

“Robby?”

His son looks kind of embarrassed now, staring at his hands before lifting his gaze again.

“Turns out you were right about my former friends being major jerkbags, dad. Are you going to rub it in my face?”

Johnny’s brain starts to connect the dots.

“They wanted me to scam Mr. LaRusso.” Robby continues. “I told them to go to hell and they jumped me at the next opportunity. Mr. LaRusso saved me.”

Johnny’s mouth is on the floor again. He turns to stare at LaRusso who looks uncomfortable listening to what a big, fat hero is.

“They were, you know, dumb kids. Not a real threat.” He says to Johnny.

“One of them was huge Mr. LaRusso. And another one had a knife.”

“A knife?” Johnny yells.

“Yeah, well. Nothing bad happened so let’s leave it at that.”

Johnny can’t leave it like that though. He looks straight into LaRusso’s eyes and keeps his gaze.

“Hey. Thanks, man.”

Daniel looks back at him for a long moment. “You would have done the same.” He says eventually.

Johnny nods, a silent plead that LaRusso is right about that forms inside him.

Daniel changes the topic abruptly, asking Robby about his day again and the issue seems forgotten for a while.

But when Robby is not looking, Johnny reaches under the table for Daniel’s hand and gives it a little squeeze.

Later, when Robby is in his room with the door closed, Johnny walks LaRusso to the door. Daniel pauses a little at the threshold and Johnny jumps at the chance to examine his face again. Has he always been so nice to look at? Yes, a wise voice inside Johnny’s head replies. He guesses he was, just Johnny was too dumb to see it.

He clears his throat. “Do you think he noticed anything?”

Daniel shakes his head. “No. I don’t think so, man.”

“Yeah, nice save there with ‘wardrobe’ thing. Weird, but I guess it worked.”

“We should be more careful from now on. Maybe, let’s just stick to my place.”

And the absolute certainty in Daniel’s words that they are doing this again makes Johnny want to kiss him.

He checks behind his shoulder at Robby’s room where the door remains closed and then above Daniel’s head to make sure nobody’s coming out of the other apartments any time soon.

Then he pulls him as close as he can partly because it's their last touch for the night and partly because he’s trying to silently tell him something but he’s not sure what himself. He kisses him with his eyes open, taking in Daniel’s expression.

When they part, LaRusso licks his lips.

“We’ll talk later, Johnny.”

Johnny nods and watches him retreat to his car.

Later when Johnny is fresh from the shower and ready to call it a night, he goes to his room, closing the door behind him. He plops unceremoniously on his bed to sleep off the tension of the whole day.

His sheets remain unchanged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I know. I know. I should grow the fuck up as a writer and stop making Robby almost walk into his two dads fucking. Last time, I swear.  
> 2\. You believe me when I say this thing still has a plot right?  
> 3\. Also, Johnny is stuck in the eighties. His body and mind try to keep up with today’s world but his heart is always lost in another, happier era. So, when he wants something really bad, like say charm the pants off Daniel LaRusso, his mind comes up with all the little things that he did once upon a time and even today make sense to him. Going to Golf n' Stuff, making mix-tapes, using cheesy lines from old movies, the whole drill. Kudos to anyone who recognizes the obscure 80’s movie reference in this. (Truly, kudos to anyone who doesn’t. I’m just a freak for obsessing over things like that.)


	16. Sunday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really sorry for not updating sooner. I’ve been dealing with some personal stuff and some stuff regarding writing. I will try to update more regularly. I posted three other stories in the meantime, but that’s no excuse. Anyway, as always, thank you for bearing with me!
> 
> This chapter is for [Ysabel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystical_Isabel/pseuds/Ysabel)! Thank you for your support!

It’s all going downhill.

It has probably started one night back in 1984 and it hasn’t stopped ever since. That’s how Daniel feels, anyway. Like he’s falling and falling and every waking moment it's getting more and more difficult to regain some control of his life.

And of course, the same asshole is to blame now as much as he was back then.

Due to that whole all-out karate school riot his reputation is tarnished forever. Their business, that they have worked so hard to establish, is on the brink of extinction. Their only hope is this new marketing campaign that they are supposed to launch sometime within the week. They haven’t had the proper time to prepare but they absolutely need to get rid of the toxic implications his karate gimmicks are manifesting, as soon as possible.

The main focus of the campaign is to convince the Valley people that they are still the most reliable dealership by subtly implying that Amanda can fix everything her husband demolished like the absolute badass she is.

Ugh. That’s something Johnny would say, thinks Daniel, and why the fuck is he thinking of Johnny after musing over his estranged wife. That’s another sign, Daniel admits. Another sign that Amanda and he have probably reached that point beyond any chance at a reconciliation. And the worst thing is that Daniel is _not_ falling apart over the fact. Mostly he cares about Sam and Anthony. His kids don’t exactly hate him, but they don’t understand it either. And it’s really hard not living with them. Having to arrange his schedule in order to see them. And if only that were his biggest problem.

That maniac, Kreese, is still on the loose, teaching young kids god knows what twisted version of a martial art. Daniel might have implied that he actually has a plan to get rid of him but the truth is he has no idea how to deal with that ruthless, war-hungry monster.

And, in the middle of it all, he’s having mind-blowing sex with Johnny Lawrence.

Let him repeat that. He's having mind-blowing sex with Johnny Lawrence.

One more time. Mind-blowing. Sex. Johnny. Lawrence.

How the hell, did that happen? And, yes, Daniel wanted it. He wanted it so much, for so many years. To kiss another man, to feel another man's erection against his own. But he never could have imagined he would have all these things with his high school bully. Dr. Sobel would have a field day with this. Maybe he should give her a call. Arrange another session. He should probably drag Johnny there too. God knows, how much that guy needs it.

Anyway, even though Daniel was the one who initiated it, he tried to resist it. He tried so hard and it hadn’t been easy, the way Johnny was always stepping into his personal space and being so fucking blunt all the time. Like he wanted him, like he actually wanted _him_ and Daniel can’t help the shiver that runs through his whole body even at the thought. And the way he keeps calling him by his last name. LaRusso this, LaRusso that. That’s how it has always been but now it awakens something in Daniel; something so intense and primal. Maybe Johnny brings out his hidden kinky self.

And now they are teaming up, apparently. Shit, are decades of repressed lust clouding his judgement? Can he really trust Johnny? He seems like a changed man, but still. Daniel has learned the hard way not to trust reformed villains.

Johnny's out there now, in the yard at Miyagi-Do, just like last Sunday. He drove Robby here but Daniel thinks that’s just an excuse to stay throughout his lessons and check out the competition. And it’s getting really hard to demonstrate karate techniques with that icy gaze following his every move.

“What’s the deal. Mr. L?” Daniel jumps a little at Demetri’s voice. Shit, he must have been completely absorbed in his thoughts if he let Demetri of all people to sneak up on him. Robby comes to stand by his side too.

“What do you mean?” Daniel asks him.

Demetri gestures to where Johnny is sitting on top of a rock. “We quit Cobra Kai to avoid having to deal with that guy.”

“I mean, no offense Robby, but your dad _is_ kind of an asshole.”

Robby smirks at Demetri in such a conspiratorial way that Daniel thinks there’s more context there but he lets it slide for now. “None taken.” Robby says.

“Is he going to be here every time?” Demetri continues. “Are you guys going to be teaching us together?”

“What? No!”

Robby gives him an odd look and Daniel sighs. “I’ll deal with it, okay? In the meantime you two warm everyone up.”

He goes over to Johnny, who immediately gives him a barely noticeable smile and Daniel feels a little guilty for what he’s about to do.

“Can I talk to you for a minute, Johnny?”

Johnny’s smile disappears from his face but he nods. “Sure, man.”

Daniel drags him inside the house, to the most hidden corner and makes sure to lock the door latch on the sliding door.

“Tell me you are not staying through the whole lesson again.”

“Why? Am I making you nervous?”

“Shut up. And haven’t you noticed? You make everybody nervous.”

Johnny frowns at that. “What are you talking about?”

“Well, you used to teach those kids. And they left Cobra Kai.”

“You poached them, you mean.”

“I didn’t poach anyone; they were obviously disappointed with your--” and Daniels makes air quotes with his fingers “--way of the fist.”

Johnny looks a bit hurt at that and Daniel feels that same guilt again.

“Hey, listen, all I’m saying is maybe you should say something to them.”

“Like what? I’m not apologizing for anything, if that’s what you mean.”

Daniel huffs. “And why not, Johnny? They are good kids.”

And before Johnny has a chance to protest Daniel continues. “Yes, even Demetri. Haven’t you noticed how supportive he’s been to Robby since he's come out of juvie?”

Johnny thinks about it for a second and then nods. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Daniel stares at him. He didn’t expect him to agree so easily.

He’s not the same man, he reminds himself. He’s the man that avoided throwing his punches at him during many occasions. The man that helped a bunch of nerdy kids to find enough confidence to stand up to their bullies. The man that is, at least, _trying_ to show mercy. And Johnny is the man that Daniel takes to his bed and trusts him enough in order to be intimate with.

He’s the man that currently has him cornered against the wall, next to the fireplace.

Daniel realizes he must look flustered cause Johnny’s jerk smirk has appeared on his face once again.

“What were you thinking about, just now?” Johnny asks him which makes ever more blood to rush to his cheeks.

“No-nothing, man. Just what we’ve been talking about.”

Johnny snorts. “It's okay. I think about your dick all the time, too.”

Daniel takes a deep breath. “Could you please stop blurting out stuff like that, Johnny?”

“And could you _please_ stop being such a pussy about it. Why can’t you just handle it?”

“I can handle it, alright. But not when my teen students are waiting for me. Christ Johnny, your own son is out there.”

“Yeah, it’s fucked up.” Johnny agrees and slips a hand inside his sweatpants, wrapping it immediately around his cock.

Daniel tries really, _really_ hard to suppress a yelp.

“Stop. It.” He says glaring at him.

But Johnny doesn’t stop; he picks up a steady rhythm, jerking him up and down with precise movements, thumbing over his slit with every stroke.

Daniel lifts his hands to Johnny’s biceps in order to push him away but can’t really bring himself to do it.

“Come on, your sweatpants are pitch black, I bet it won’t even show. I’ll try to get most of it too.”

It’s the whole detailed description of his convoluted plan that makes Daniel’s dick twitch even harder in Johnny’s palm. How much time has Johnny spent thinking about this, Daniel wonders.

“That’s not the issue, fuck! I live here, I can always change into another one.” Or just push them down, out of the way, but somehow his stupid mind warns him that it would take some fun out of it.

Johnny grins at that. “There you go.”

“We-we could go to jail for this. Get registered as sex offenders, ughn, never be allowed near kids again.”

“Then be quick about it, so we won’t get caught.” Johnny says and kisses any further protests out of him.

When he breaks the kiss he leans even closer to Daniel, uses his other hand to slide down his shirt just a little and attaches his mouth to Daniel’s skin there, where he knows he can cover it up later. Daniel closes his eyes and can’t help letting a few moans escape his mouth.

Johnny’s working him so fast now, the friction is almost unbearable. His lips are grazing his ear, his voice practically a purr. “Come on, LaRusso. You can do this, come on, come on.”

Daniel tips his head against the wooden wall and comes with a shudder. Johnny puts his palm over his mouth just in time to stifle any cries.

Johnny makes good on his promise. He cups his dick and gathers pretty much all of it before hooking a finger on his waistband and pulling it towards him just enough so he can take out his hand without making a mess.

“See, I told you.” Johnny says gesturing towards the sliding doors. “Nobody even noticed.”

He actually winks at Daniel before going to the bathroom to wash his hands.

Daniel watches him from the half-closed door, trying to compose himself. He looks down at his pants to check if he's decent enough and decides against putting on another pair of sweatpants. That would look more suspicious, anyway.

When he has almost caught his breath, he steps outside praying that he doesn’t look as flustered as he still feels. And when exactly has his life gotten to the point where his old high school rival gives him a handjob before teaching a bunch of kids karate?

Robby and Demetri have the other students doing kata and Daniel marvels for a moment at how relaxed they both look into their role.

But as soon as Johnny comes out of the house and resumes his spot on top of the rock, the protests begin. Mainly from Demetri.

Daniel shakes his hands around, trying to placate everybody.

“Please, just listen. We have bigger problems. Cobra Kai is out there and it’s not just petty rivalries any more. That man leading them is dangerous.”

Daniel points at Demetri. “Don’t you want your best friend back?” Demetri lifts his shoulders and Daniel continues. “Don’t all of you want to stop fighting?”

At the mention of their former friends there is another surge of incessant rumble.

“Quiet!”

To his defense, Daniel isn’t the only one who jumps. But after their initial surprise his students act like nothing happened, nobody dares utter another word.

Daniel glares at Johnny, who has since stood up and is by his side, hating himself for thinking how effective that was.

Demetri crosses his hands in front of his chest but even he refrains from making any more sarcastic comments.

Johnny takes a look around and he sighs, his expression softens a bit. “Kreese trained me for years. I know what that motherfucker is capable of.”

“Language!” Danies hisses.

Johnny ignores him. “Your sensei—” Daniel winces a little at the word but doesn’t interrupt him again “--LaRusso here is right. We’ve dealt with him in the past and we are ready to deal with him again. Together. I know I haven’t always treated you right. You have every right to be mad at me. I just wanted to make you stronger. And now I can’t help but wonder at how badass you’ve all become. Even you, kid. You annoy the hell out of me but you’ve earned some respect.”

Daniel turns to look at Demetri, half expecting to witness his biggest eye-roll yet. But Demetri has an almost smug expression on his face. He kind of preens, actually.

Damn, Johnny can be a good teacher.

Even Robby looks between his dad and Demetri with a fond look.

Johnny stays through the entire lesson, again. They even end up demonstrating some techniques together and Daniel is shocked at how effortlessly they make it work. He has to furiously shake his head in order to chase away images of Johnny and him in the balance pond.

The only thing that troubles him is the way Robby acts when he’s paired up with someone. He tries to block his opponent’s strikes but his heart isn’t into it. He ends up on the ground more often than not. He’s pulling his punches Daniel realizes and he feels a pang in his chest.

So, when the lesson is over, and the students make their way to the exit, he tries to catch his attention.

“Are you okay, Robby?”

“Yes, Mr. LaRusso. Just kind of tired, I guess.”

Daniel nods. “You can talk to me about anything, you know that, right?”

Robby doesn’t say anything more, he just looks at him with his kicked puppy expression.

Daniel shrugs. “Or to your father, I guess.” That earns him a reaction.

“You know he tries, right? He cares about you so much.”

Robby pauses for a moment before replying. “Yeah. I know.”

And before Daniel has the chance to elaborate further, Robby changes the subject. “What’s the deal with you guys? You act like you are best friends, all of a sudden.”

“Your father and I decided to put our past behind us. We have to work together now when there’s a much bigger threat out there.”

Robby purses his lips and nods. He looks like he desperately wants to add something more to their conversation.

“How’s Sam?” He asks suddenly.

Daniel wasn’t expecting that.

“She-she’s okay. Her injuries have healed almost completely.” It’s so awkward talking to Robby about his daughter with all their history between them.

Luckily, Robby puts him out of his misery. “It’s okay, Mr. LaRusso. Demetri told me about her and Miguel.”

“I’m sorry, Robby.”

Robby shakes his head. “I just wish she could join us. She belongs at Miyagi-Do.”

Daniel pats his shoulder and smiles sadly at him. “Yes. Yes she does.”

Johnny approaches them and their little moment is cut short. He tosses Robby the keys to his car. Robby catches them mid-air and throws a last look between them before turning his back to them.

“You still drive around in that monstrosity, huh? Do I have to pay for another paint job, too?”

“Your sugar daddy kink is getting weirder and weirder, LaRusso.”

Daniel blushes at that and quickly changes the subject. “Well, that was a good first step. It’s nice that you made amends with them.”

“You’re not afraid I’m going to poach them back right under your nose?”

Daniel shakes his head. “Nah. They love me too much.” Johnny scoffs at that but Daniel continues. “And even if you do, I wouldn’t worry cause now I’d know they would be in good hands.”

Johnny seems taken aback by his words and stares at him with that look again. Daniel can’t really tell the exact emotion that’s behind it but it’s becoming a frequent occurrence. Only thing Daniel knows is that he’s growing extremely fond of it. But then he remembers what usually follows after that look and frowns.

“You can’t kiss me right now, Johnny.”

That breaks the spell. “I wasn’t going to, LaRusso.”

Daniel rolls his eyes. “Sure, Johnny.”

Johnny turns his back to him, his hand making a waving gesture.

“Later, LaRusso.” He says and Daniel just smiles.

In the evening, he goes to his house. Sometimes, it’s hard to see his children during the week so he makes sure to spend some time with them during the weekends.

Before he leaves Miyagi-Do he puts on his wedding ring again. The last couple of days, it has been hidden in a small box inside his drawer. God, his marriage is indeed falling apart. He hasn’t even noticed if Amanda has been wearing hers.

Turns out it doesn’t make much of a difference, though, because when he arrives at the house, he realizes that Amanda is not there.

“Where’s your mother?” Daniel asks Sam as he steps inside the living room, taking off his jacket.

“She said she’d go out with a few of her friends from spin class.”

Daniel nods and doesn’t push the issue further.

Anthony comes down the stairs, barely acknowledging him. He then goes into a ten minute argument with Sam about her keeping away from his stuff and Daniel can’t help but smile, letting that feeling of relative normalcy sink into his bones.

He cooks them dinner and they eat together in the living room in front of the tv. Daniel hates it that he’s becoming the worst cliché of a separated parent that allows leniency in order to compensate but he’s tired and hungry and he just wants to spend a nice evening with his kids.

When Anthony is done, he stands up and goes directly to his room. He mutters a ‘thanks for the dinner, dad’, under his breath and Daniel's heart drops cause he knows it’s completely sarcastic. Anthony has never thanked him for food. Ever.

Sam looks at him with a sad smile on her face.

“He’ll come around.”

“Do you think he hates me?”

Sam chuckles. “I think he hates everybody.”

Daniel lets out a small laugh at that too.

“How about you?”

Sam shrugs. Her fingers are circling patterns on the armrest of the couch. “It _is_ kind of hard. Not having you here, all the time. And I can’t wrap my head around the fact that you and mom are not in love, anymore.”

Daniel winces at her choice of words but he guesses that’s true. As much as he has been afraid to admit it even to himself.

“How is Miguel?”

Sam beams at the mention of his name. “He’s been so brave, dad. I try to help him as much as I can to keep his hopes up. Everything will be better after his surgery, I’m sure of it.”

Daniel puts his arm across her shoulders and tries to fill at least one of his paternal roles and silently reassure her that everything is going to be all right.

When Sam’s phone pings she scoots away from him and grins at her screen.

“It’s Miguel.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

“I better go—” Daniel says and gestures towards the stairs.

Sam nods and gives him another one of her sweet smiles to encourage him.

He knocks on his son’s door but doesn’t wait for an answer. Anthony is lying on his bed on his stomach, knees bent upwards, playing his video game.

“Dad, it’s okay. You don’t have to give me the ‘talk’.” He says as soon as Daniel sits on his bed beside him. He puts away his game regardless and Daniel realizes how that small action contradicts his words.

“I want you to tell me how you feel about this whole situation. And please be honest with me. Get it out of your chest.”

Anthony looks at him with those big brown eyes of his that Daniel is so proud of.

“It sucks.” He says after a while. “I thought these things only happened to other people, to other kids. Not us.”

Daniel sighs and moves closer to his son. “You can’t look at it like that. Sure, it’s not the best thing in the world but it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It has nothing to do with you. It’s just between me and your mother. And the most important thing is for us to remain a family. You and mom and Sam and me. Nothing is going to change that.”

Anthony stands up on his knees on his bed and Daniel pulls him into a tight hug.

“I love you more than anything in the world.” He says into his son’s fluffy hair and his eyes well up a little.

When he is behind his wheel, he checks his phone. He should probably call Amanda, find out when she will be back. There is a text from around twenty minutes ago. It’s from Johnny.

_Are you done?_

_Yes. I’m on my way to Miyagi-Do right now._

_Good. I’m here waiting for you._

He stares at his screen for a long moment to determine if he’s actually reading that correctly or if he’s hallucinating.

Turns out Johnny Lawrence can’t get enough of him. Who would have thought?

Daniel starts his engine a little more forcefully than he should have and only hopes he won’t get pulled over for speeding.


End file.
